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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23136331">Magnetism</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shawnie1718/pseuds/shawnie1718'>shawnie1718</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SKAM (France)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Assistant - Eliott Demaury, Brat Lucas, But a fast slow burn ya feel, Eliott is raging Pansexual, Fluff and Smut, Fluffy, Lucas is a scared yet deprived inexperienced gay boy - Lucas's words, Lucas is also a little shit - Eliott's words, M/M, Movie Star - Lucas Lallemant, Sassy Lucas, Smut, Top Eliott, and Lucas is a closeted gay boy with no experience, need i say more, sorta slow burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:22:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>25,427</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23136331</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shawnie1718/pseuds/shawnie1718</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucas is an on-the-rise actor who has gained a loyal fanbase. Over the years he's created an alternate persona for himself in order to hide his sexuality, and he's been content with it ever since.<br/>Enter Eliott, the clumsy, yet annoyingly hot, Uni student... and also Lucas's new assistant. Rumors begin to stir that Lucas and Eliott are dating. And who are they to not give the people a show?</p><p>*weekly updates*</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eliott Demaury/Lucas Lallemant, elu - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>189</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! Welcome to the new au! I hope you guys enjoy this, I've definitely had a blast writing it. I'm shooting for weekly updates, since I have most of the story written it's now about the editing process, but I'll make sure to let you guys know if there's a delay. Tell me what you think in the comments! I live for feedback and kudos :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lucas starts his day the same way every morning. Rolling out of bed, he sits there as he stares at the slightly chilled floor of his room, then, when he finds the willpower, he stands up and heads to the bathroom where he does his skincare routine and brushes his teeth. He’ll eat his breakfast, which usually consists of a granola bar and way-too-hot-to-drink cup of coffee because he somehow is always in a rush. He gets changed into something way too formal for a simple meeting with his manager. Only because he knows that the paparazzi will be waiting outside his door to flash their cameras in his face and throw him questions he never answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>See, he has always had the same routine. Down to the minute he gets up from bed, to the minute he rushes out the door. Don’t get him wrong, he likes consistency in his life, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span> can it get boring. As he makes his way out of the condo, he checks the time. 8:00 on the dot. He sighs as he locks the door and throws his key into his pocket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not like he’s asking for something earth-shattering to happen. That’s not what he wants. But he wouldn’t mind </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> inconsistency. Even though his life has changed in a blink of an eye, he’s still had the same routine every day. Shit gets boring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas is a new on-the-rise actor. By the age of 21 he’s starred in multiple films, gaining a loyal fanbase. What really spiked the public’s interest was when he portrayed a young gay man in a coming-of-age story, the rave around the movie had boosted Lucas’s career. His fans mull over rumors that </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe he’s gay</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>he and his costar had a secret relationship</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He would never confirm nor deny the rumors, which only spurred on his fans to create more. Lucas, if ever asked about his sexuality, would simply shrug and say “I don’t have to disclose that information.” It was a statement he rehearsed many times before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Cause, you see, Lucas isn’t yet comfortable being openly gay. Sure, he’s in touch with his feminine side, but that’s what his fans love about him so much. He will, on occasion, paint his nails, wear colorful or flamboyant outfits, and has wore makeup during a red carpet premiere. But that’s all the stuff he can say is “breaking down the male stigma” and people applaud him for that. He just can’t be secure on how people will respond when he comes out. He’s sure his fans won’t care. After all, he sees their responses whenever he wears something a bit out of his comfort zone. They’re supportive. It’s… the other people he’s worried about. The people who raise a brow at his outfits, it’s the people who leave comments like “only gays wear that stuff;” it’s the people who feel like it’s their duty to know his sexuality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Over the few years of being in the film industry, Lucas has created an alternate persona for himself. A persona that’s a bit more closed off, a bit more “mysterious,” as his fans say. He chooses to paint himself as a playboy in the media, which is much easier than coming out, in his opinion. When he goes to parties, where other celebrities are sure to be, he makes a point of walking out every time with a different girl. He holds the pose, his arm around her waist, and he whispers something in her ear. Of course, it never amounts to anything. They just kiss for a couple minutes in the backseat of his car, before he says “I should get you home.” And that’s that. It’s what has kept him safe over the years, kept him secure in his choices. Lucas just feels that when he is finally open about who he is, that his persona will fall apart. He just isn’t sure if he’s ready for that, just yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Lucas waits at the bus stop, choosing not to take his motorcycle today, he keeps his head low and in his phone. There are a couple people sitting on the chairs behind him, two guys to be precise (they keep kissing and laughing and something in Lucas’s heart aches. He wishes he had the courage to do just that. To walk hand and hand with a guy down the streets of Paris, pausing every couple blocks to kiss and smile at each other, to laugh at one another’s stupid jokes. He wants to get drunk on one another’s desire and love until he’s dizzy with it). But he’s standing just right so that they won’t see his face. He opens up Twitter, the app which originally gave him his rise to fame. The dynamic on Twitter is interesting. They can make or break your career in seconds with a simple hashtag.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas has been able to remain in their good graces thus far, he’s just terrified of the day that his name will one day pop up in the #lucasisoverparty. He practically shivers with the thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bus arrives, </span>
  <em>
    <span>right on time</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Lucas notes. He boards the bus, looking for an empty seat. But the only one available is between a man reeking of B.O. and a crying baby and a tired looking mom. Lucas chooses to stand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he turns to survey the rest of the people on the bus (people-watching is one of the best ways to waste time in Lucas’s opinion) he immediately clocks the attractive guy sitting only a few seats away. He has his head down, reading something on his phone. Just from his profile Lucas can make out a sharp nose, a groomed nine o’ clock shadow, and an impeccable sense of style which highlights the guy’s physique. He doesn’t even realize he’s blatantly staring before the guy slowly lifts his head, probably sensing someone staring at him, and locks eyes with Lucas. Lucas can feel his ears turn red as he averts his gaze, looking anywhere but over at the guy on the bench.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas mentally smacks himself. If he wasn’t so sexually deprived maybe he wouldn’t be ogling the first semi-attractive guy he sees at 8 in the morning. His lack of… relief has really been fucking with him the past couple months. It’s interfered with his filming a couple times, especially thanks to the fact that his last role was a “high school fuck boy” so he had to kiss a lot of random actors. Doesn’t even matter if they were girls or not to his dick, apparently. So long as he had his eyes closed his brain would unhelpfully supply an imaginary guy… his member would respond just the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was actually hella embarrassing the one time he got a hard-on during a scene when kissing a girl, if he remembers right her name was Chloe. She was able to laugh it off, and she was kind enough not to tell anyone about it. He thinks she might have taken it as a sign that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>liked</span>
  </em>
  <span> her though, since she tried asking him out. He politely declined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, seriously, he needs to handle this situation. Sooner rather than later would be appreciated. At least before he pops a boner just from the guy on the bus who keeps looking his way. He never really let himself experiment in high school or college. Back then he still had so much internalised homophobia that he wasn’t even ready to come to terms with the fact that he may be gay, god forbid experiment with guys. In college he was able to at least recognize that he’s gay, but he still wasn’t ready to hook-up or anything of the sort. Then he got famous, or relatively close to fame, and there was no way he was going to experiment when the public was watching his every move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, here he is, 24 year old Lucas Lallemant, voted one of the top heartthrobs in Vogue, and yet still the dreaded V-word. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas buzzes the intercom for Imane’s building, or at least the building which her office is in. Her voice comes on the speaker and she doesn’t waste a second before reprimanding him because “you’re ten minutes late, Lucas. I don’t have all day!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then buzz me in!” He bites back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can practically see her roll her eyes as the door clicks open. He heads straight for the stairs, not even sparing a glance towards the elevator that has been “out of service” for the last, like, year and a half. He always tries to tell himself that taking the stairs is better, anyways. It helps get in his daily cardio. But it gets harder and harder to remind himself of that with each floor he climbs. Seriously, why does Imane have to be on one of the top floors, it just makes him sweaty by the time he gets there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas doesn’t wait to knock, he just simply opens the door and marches his way towards Imane’s desk. He plops down into the chair across from her with a huff before dramatically crossing his legs and giving his best “smoulder” (at least that’s what Flynn Rider called it in </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tangled</span>
  </em>
  <span>. That man was fiiine. With three i’s.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Imane sighs, “you know it’s a wonder how not more people suspect that you’re gay, when you act as you do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas raises an eyebrow, “hey, that’s stereotyping, Imane. Don’t be homophobic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my,” she mumbles under breath before taking a deep breath in, “listen, I called you in today because I got you a new audition. It’s for another starring roll in a movie based in the Great Depression -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good, when’s the audition date?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Imane shakes her head, “listen, I didn’t reserve the audition yet, they’re still waiting to hear from me, because it’s a movie about a gay guy - or couple - in the Great Depression. I know that you’ve starred as a gay character before, but you didn’t have as much of a following back then as you do now. The public wasn’t so caught up in your every move. And given your current situation… I guess I just wanted to make sure it was okay with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas smiles, “Imane, it’s fine. Thanks for asking me first, though, I appreciate it. I know that I’m… worried about the rumors, but I know that I won’t stay in the closet forever. At some point I know that I will want to come out, and, hey, maybe the press tour for this movie will give me a chance to do just that. You never know. Plus, I still think it’s important to portray LGBTQ+ characters in mainstream films. Even if I’m not ready to be out and proud doesn’t mean I don’t still want to be an advocate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Imane smiles, “That’s great to hear, Lucas. If you could stay for another thirty minutes or so, just so we can set up everything for the audition, that would be great.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas nods, “Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Imane is one of the few people Lucas is actually out to. It’s mainly because she’s his manager, and she sorta kinda needs to know stuff like that, but she’s also been one of his friends that he’s had by his side since high school. He honestly couldn’t imagine his life without her. She’s so strong and sure of herself, something that Lucas has always admired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s only a handful of people Lucas is out to. It’s his best friends, of course, Yann, Basile and Arthur. Then there’s Manon and Imane. That’s really it. He came out to his mom as well, but he… doesn’t really see her as much. Simply coming out to those people, at least back in college, was a huge step for him. But he doesn’t regret the decision at all, if anything he’s thankful that he at least has five people he can confide in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the meeting is finally over it’s a lot later than he first intended to leave Imane’s office. He doesn’t really mind, just simply missed his hair appointment. But, honestly, he’s living for his grown-out hair, he likes it on the longer side. He runs his hand through his hair absentmindedly, pulling at the ends. He briefly wonders what it would feel like for a guy to pull at his hair, to yank his head back and make him gasp - he shakes his head, trying to make the image which his brain unhelpfully provided dissipate. Can he seriously not go five hours without imagining what getting fucked would feel like? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pull yourself together, Lucas</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he reprimands himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s while he’s waiting at the bus stop, scrolling through Instagram, when he gets a call from Yann. Yann is the friend that’s been with Lucas the longest, throughout their childhood, through high school (when Lucas acted like a prick because of internally hating himself,) and through University. He was there before Lucas gained any “clout,” and he remains by his side today. Yann was the first person Lucas ever told about his sexuality. In some ways he was also the hardest to tell, because he’s known Lucas the longest, but Lucas knew that Yann wouldn’t leave. His best friend is just like a big, sometimes menacing, teddy bear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, what’s up?” Lucas asks as he picks up the call.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arthur, Basile, and I have plans to go to a club tonight, since we don’t have work tomorrow. We just wanted to see if you wanted to come along?” Yann asks from the other line. His words are already slurring together, a sign that the boys are already pre-gaming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas sighs. He doesn’t really </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to go, though he knows he </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Ever since he’s gotten more busy with acting gigs, and interviews and such, he hasn’t had as much time for the guys. And he feels guilty about it, he does. He’s sure that the guys feel like Lucas’s somewhat moved on, even though that’s not the case, but he can see why they would think that. The past few months Lucas’s felt like they’ve been pulling away. Like it’s become more just Arthur, Basile, and Yann than Arthur, Basile, Yann, and Lucas. So, Lucas agrees to go out with them. Mainly fueled by fear that they’ll leave him too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One thing you should know about Lucas, is that he’s a sad drunk. He’s the guy you see in a club silently crying in the corner, or the guy who sits at the bar staring off into nothingness. Over the years he’s gotten better at masking his “sad drunkenness” and instead pretending to be the “fun crazy drunk guy.” But, he must say, it’s really hard to be drunk and pretend to be fun at the same time. So, to resolve that, Lucas doesn’t drink. Which is totally fine with him. He can nurse one beer throughout a whole party and be a lot more fun than he would be if he drank ten. And, to be fair, once the guys start drinking they don’t really pay a lot of attention to how much Lucas drinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas ends up driving them to the club, because there is no way in hell he’s letting any of his friends drive in their already-buzzed state. He parks them a decent distance away, and they all file out in a clamor, as Basile nearly falls on his face. One perk of being somewhat well-known, at least by name, is being able to cut the line at a bar. Tonight is no different, as Lucas walks right up to the bouncer with a smile, says, “I’m Lucas Lallemant, these are my three friends,” and nine times out of ten the bouncer will recognize him and let them in with no wait. As soon as they walk in the beat and bass of the song seeps into his veins. He looks out over a sea of drunk-sweaty people grinding on the dance floor, and that’s when Lucas remembers why he never goes out clubbing anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas looks over to Yann, saying a quick, “I’m heading to the bar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yann nods, and grabs the attention of Basile and Arthur, and they follow Lucas over to where they can grab four empty seats. Honestly, it’s a miracle they could find them with how packed it is. They all slide in and a bartender appears out of seemingly nowhere asking what they all want to drink. He goes down the row, asking Arthur, then Basile, then Yann… when he gets to Lucas a flash of recognition crosses his face. Then he’s asking for Lucas’s signature, which Lucas readily supplies on a club napkin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he retreats to prepare their drinks he flashes Lucas a smile, “The drinks will be on the house tonight, yeah?” He winks before turning and disappearing around a corner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of a sudden Yann is leaned over in his chair, his breath smelling of awful beer, as he says, “That guy was pretty cute, why don’t you get his number?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yeah, he was pretty cute. Hot, actually, would be the correct term. He looked like he worked out… a lot. He looked like he could crush Lucas with minimal effort. Part of Lucas does want to be brave, and just ask this random guy for his number. But, no, that would be too dangerous. He’s a fan. He knows who Lucas is. If Lucas asked for his number he’s sure word would get around. He can see the headline now: “Straight Actor Lucas Lallemant Is Not Actually Straight?? Asks A Bartender For Number!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas shakes his head at Yann, “He’s not my type.” It’s not really a lie, because it’s true. He isn’t really Lucas’s type. He’s too… meat-heady. Lucas likes a guy who is toned, but not muscular, who is tall and awkward, like he stumbles over his own feet too much. But… he also likes a guy who can pin him to a wall with one look. Is that too much to ask for? Maybe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yann shrugs and inches back onto his own seat, “Okay, man, well… I gotta piss so, don’t let Arthur and Basile, like, fall and knock their heads off their shoulders.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas laughs, “Yeah, yeah, I got you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Yann disappears from view Arthur and Basile appear and proclaim they’re going to go dance. Lucas laughs and nods, yelling after them as they disappear amongst the crowd, “Don’t get hurt!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that leaves Lucas. The bartender comes back a few moments later with their drinks, he gives Lucas what looks like a pity-smile when he sees that his friends are no longer there. Lucas shrugs and says to just place them down, maybe he’d end up drinking them, who knows. The bartender doesn’t stay, thankfully. Since it’s a busy night he gets too caught up in other orders to stay and talk with Lucas. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nurses his beer, taking sip after sip, licking at the tip of the bottle like he’s a child drinking from a sippy-cup. Eventually he gets too bored staring at the back wall of the bar so he distracts himself by turning in his chair and looking around to try and find Yann. He eventually spots him, leaning against the opposing wall of the club, talking with a blonde-haired, fake-boobed girl. Lucas scoffs and takes another sip of his drink. It’s funny how much Yann’s taste in women changed after he and Emma broke up back in high school. Lucas still thinks those two made the best couple, but he knows they probably struggled with things he doesn’t know about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He eventually turns back around, and starts to pull out his phone when a sudden presence, full of warmth, appears beside him. Lucas doesn’t look immediately over to the person who chose to stand right beside Lucas, even though there are three empty chairs directly to his right. He tries his best to simply ignore whoever chose to invade his space, and continues to pull out his phone. He sees he has missed calls from Manon and few all caps-lock texts. Lucas reads them off his home screen as she screams about some boy. Lucas smiles and unlocks his phone. He’s glad that Manon has been moving on from Charles. He’s been worried about her ever since they broke up back when they were all still in University. He’s watched her slowly become more and more of herself again over the couple years, and he’s happy that she’s actually starting to go on dates with different guys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas hears a soft chuckle come from his right pulling him out of his thoughts entirely. His eyes drift over to the person standing next to him. Lucas doesn’t really take in his appearance as he raises a brow and says, “Can I help you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The guy laughs, a smile (a really pretty, earth-shattering smile) directed at Lucas as he responds, “No, no, I’m sorry. I was just -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were invading my privacy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The guy's smile drops in a heartbeat, and he suddenly looks terrified, “I - I really am sorry, I didn’t mean - well, I did - but I, I wasn’t thinking. I wanted to come over here and, and talk with you. But I guess I blew it, sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something in Lucas’s heart convulses when the guy looks away shyly, and that’s when Lucas takes in how unbelievably </span>
  <em>
    <span>attractive</span>
  </em>
  <span> this guy is. His dirty-blonde, on the darker side, hair looks so soft Lucas literally has to put his hand in his pocket so he can fight the urge to reach out and touch it. His nose is - is also beautiful, not something Lucas usually notices but </span>
  <em>
    <span>holy shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His eyes reflect the lights of the club and Lucas feels like he can’t breathe. Don’t even get Lucas started on the jawline and cheekbones. Lucas has to hold in a gasp when he looks down at the guy’s hands. They’re long and beautiful, decked out in silver rings which Lucas is sure would look good around his neck. Lucas naws nervously on his bottom lip as he fights the urge to lick the vein that stretched from the guy’s hand up his arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas panics when the guy starts to walk away, and he quickly says, “You didn’t ruin it!” He practically shouts, which he definitely didn’t mean to do, but it gets his attention, as well as the attention of a couple other club-goers. “You didn’t ruin it,” Lucas repeats as the guy talks a tentative step forward. “Sorry, just sort of weird about my privacy, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The guy shakes his head, “No, you’re not. I’m - I’m the one who overstepped my boundaries. I’m sorry.” Lucas doesn’t say anything in reply, and hopes the guy gets the cue to introduce himself, “I’m Eliott, Eliott Demuary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas laughs, “Why did you just introduce yourself like your James Bond? ‘The name's Bond, James Bond.’” Lucas sputters with laughter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott, that’s the hot guy’s name, laughs, “Don’t make fun of me, I was trying to be polite.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas rolls his eyes, “You’re worrying about that now after you just looked over my shoulder to read my texts?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott pouts, “Hey! I apologized.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas hums, “Well I don’t remember accepting that apology.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott raises an eyebrow at him, a smile cracking it’s way onto his face, “Alright, then, what do I have to do for you to accept the apology.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas smirks, mulling over his options, or at least pretending to. When he looks back over at Eliott he takes a deep breath in, reminding himself to be brave, and telling himself not to let his voice quiver. He feels like he’s tingling when he says, “You can ask me to go dance with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott smiles, and Lucas feels like the wind is knocked out of him, “Alright, will you give me the honor of a dance?” Eliott says with a bow and the extension of a hand in Lucas’s direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas laughs as he places his hand in Eliott’s, doing his best to not take note of the sparks that fly between their palms, “You are the cheesiest little shit I think I’ve ever met.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I’m a ‘little shit’ now, am I?” Eliott says as he guides them to the dance floor. Lucas sort of feels like he’s going to vomit, but he holds it down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sure think so, snooping into people’s business, being a copy-cat of James Bond… all are things I have on my ‘little shit’ list. You have two marks checked already.” Lucas says and he lets himself get pulled into the mosh pit of dancing (more like grinding) bodies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It isn’t until they stop walking, and Eliott yanks Lucas closer, so their bodies are a hair's width away, that he responds, “What other boxes do I have to check, then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas can’t breathe. He’s going to pass out. Did his heart stop? He can’t tell. Maybe it’s just pumping super fast? What’s happening? “Let’s find out, yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And, seriously, it’s just his luck that the song switches to “Pony” by Ginuwine as soon as they start dancing. Because, you see, Eliott’s already the hottest person he has ever seen, but then add grinding to the mix and Lucas is absolutely 100% deceased. He doesn’t even know how his hand got to the top of Eliott’s shoulder, or how Eliott’s hand got to Lucas’s waist. Lucas, somewhere during the song, turns around, so that Eliott’s to his back. Eliott takes that as an invitation to grab onto Lucas’s hips, driving himself forward and up into Lucas’s body, forcing them both into a slow rhythm. Lucas feels his blood flow south way too quickly. There’s not enough blood in his brain to process what’s going on, and way too much pressure in his pants at this point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Lucas hisses under his breath, “Eliott, Eliott,” Lucas repeats, grabbing onto Eliott’s hand to get his attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” Eliott hums against Lucas’s neck, only pulling away to look Lucas in the face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to… go. My friends. I have to go find my friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott groans, fingers playing at the edge of Lucas’s jeans, “do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott laughs, it’s soft and low, but it’s just loud enough for Lucas to hear over the music, “but do you want to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span>, no. No, I don’t. I don’t want to have to do anything except dance right here, but I need to get them all together. I’m their driv-'' Lucas gasps when Eliott nips lightly at the skin behind his ear and drives his hips forward to meet Lucas’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott groans, breath hot against Lucas’s ear as he says, “I was really hoping to take you back to my place. I wanted to get you on your back, have you moan and keen under my touch. I just want to take you apart slowly. Fuck, I think you would be really beautiful like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, God. Oh, shit. Lucas goes rigid. The weight of what Eliott’s saying seeps into his bones and makes his heart stop. He wants that, he wants that so bad. He wants Eliott to take him apart. He wants to feel Eliott above him. But he can’t. He’s hidden behind his wall of fear, and he knows that right here, in the club with Eliott pressed against his back, is as far as they will go. Lucas turns his Eliott’s hold. He tilts his head up to meet Eliott’s gaze, and, shit, Eliott looks wrecked. Even more wrecked than Lucas feels right now. His eyes look glossed over, as if he’s in a dream-like state.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Lucas says, “this is as far as I’ll go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott bites at his bottom lip and nods his head, “that’s okay.” Then, he adds with a smirk, “You were a great dancing partner, anyways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas laughs and his heart starts to come alive again, this time overflowing with something akin to adoration, “Thank you. You weren’t bad yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliott’s hands fall away from Lucas’s hips, and there’s a coldness seeping into the spots left open. A hollowness starts to fill Lucas’s chest when Eliott takes a step away, “Be careful getting home, Lucas.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It isn’t until Lucas’s back home, collapsed on his bed, that he realizes he never told Eliott his name.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys!! I know it hasn’t been a week between updates, but I thought why not just post now!!<br/>I actually wanted to ask you guys something. So as I’m writing more about Eliott and Lucas “giving the media a show” the more it becomes more of a fake relationship. There’s another work, Tempo by surrealsunday (I believe that’s their username), which has some similarity to this work. I’m going to take my work in a completely different direction, but I don’t want anyone to think this piece is like a copy or anything. I have a lot of interesting ideas for scenarios, but do you guys want me to continue down the plot I have? Or do you want me to try and rewrite portions of the story? Up to you, I want to hear your thoughts!! Enjoy this chapter!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    It’s a week before Lucas’s scheduled audition and he is <em> freaking out </em> . He’s pacing around Imane’s office as she struggles to open the pdf of the script they sent for Lucas to look over. It arrived <em> a whole week </em> later than they said it would. Which means Lucas only has a week to memorize the whole <em> twenty pages </em> they gave him. </p><p>    “Would you stop pacing, you idiot, you’re making me anxious!” Imane complains as she frantically clicks through her emails.</p><p>    “Don’t ‘you idiot’ me! This is a huge role and I can’t have it fucked over because I don’t have enough time to run my lines!”</p><p>    Imane rolls her eyes, “You’re a great actor, Lucas. Even if you don’t have lines perfectly memorized they’ll still love you.”</p><p>    “Easy for you to say. You're not the one who actually has to go in and do it!” Lucas huffs and runs a hand through his hair. He still needs a haircut.</p><p>    “There it is! Yes!” Imane says and a few seconds later her printer starts running. She staples the pages together and hands them to Lucas who, much to Imane’s relief, finally takes a seat. “Why are you so stressed?”</p><p>    Lucas looks up from the packet with a shrug, “Auditions are super stressful, especially if you don’t have enough time to prepare.”</p><p>    Imane purses her lips, fiddling with the pen in her hand, “I know that. It just seems like you’re more stressed out than usual. Is everything… okay?”</p><p>    Lucas just nods, because how is he supposed to tell Imane that he spent a whole night talking and grinding with a guy who he thought didn’t know who he was, but then at the end he revealed that he actually <em> did </em> know who he was and now Lucas is freaking out because what if the guy decides to spread rumors around. How is he supposed to explain that? Especially to Imane of all people. That girl already makes fun of everything Lucas does.</p><p>    Lucas nods again, punctuating it with “yeah, yeah, I’m all good.” He eventually gathers his things so he can head home and start working on lines, “See you in about a week, Imane.”</p><p>    She chuckles and clicks her pen as she says, “can’t wait.”</p><p>*</p><p>    You see, you really can’t blame Lucas for trying to find Eliott on Instagram. It’s reasonable to try and find the guy who could possibly ruin your career. He doesn’t want to, like, threaten him, or anything. He just wants to casually make sure the Eliott won’t say anything about that night, to, like, anyone. Is that too much to ask? But it’s not like Lucas’s had much luck anyways. The guy is off the grid or something. He must be. Everyone has an Instagram. So how come the one model-looking guy who is holding one of Lucas’s secrets doesn’t seem to have one? Is his life really just this difficult?</p><p>    When he gets back to his apartment he turns his phone off, so he has minimal distractions. He starts making his dinner, which consists of cereal and okra. Okay, don’t blame him. He hasn’t had a chance to go grocery shopping and it’s all he has left. He sits on his couch and starts reading through the scene they provided him. It portrays Lucas’s character, Niel, and his partner, Henry, getting called gay slurs. Niel’s character doesn’t take it well, and goes on a few monologues about the issue while Henry desperately tries to get him focused on him. There’s a kiss at the end, but he doesn’t have to worry about that since there won’t be an actor to play Henry just yet.</p><p>    Lucas’s heart feels like it’s convulsing as he finishes his read-through. He can’t even imagine how hard it would have been, how much strength people like Niel or Henry had, to be out during that time period. Lucas doesn’t even have the courage to be out now, in 2020.</p><p>    He spends most of his afternoon reading lines and working on his inflection during certain points. He paces around his apartment, since walking somehow helps calm and collect his mind. He’s around his third read-through when there’s a knock at his door. He sets the script down and walks to his door where he peers through the eye hole to the person on the other side.</p><p>    Manon’s voice travels through the door when she starts speaking, “Lucas Lallemant, open the door this instant. I know you’re home.”</p><p>    Lucas laughs to himself as he opens the door. “Hey, Manon, I didn’t know you were stopping by.”</p><p>    She smiles at him as he invites her into his apartment. “I was… just in the area. I decided to stop at the grocery store, actually, and picked you up some, um, stuff.” She says with a laugh as she hands Lucas the bag. She shrugs off her jacket and scarf as she takes a seat in the living room, Lucas follows behind her.</p><p>    “Thanks, Manon,” Lucas smiles and places the bag on the kitchen counter as they pass by the area to reach the living room. “I appreciate it.” She sends him a wink which makes him freeze. Wait… did she…? “Wait, you didn’t buy me lube and a… special magazine again did you?”</p><p>    She laughs, her head thrown back, “no, Lu, of course not. Imane and I just did that together for April Fool’s Day, get your mind out of the gutter.” A pause, “I just bought you a vibrator is all.” Lucas’s head snaps over to her in alarm as he takes a seat on the couch, but she’s already laughing again, “oh my - your face! You seriously think I would buy that for <em> you </em>? No, sweetheart, I only buy that stuff for myself.”</p><p>    Lucas scoffs and rolls his eyes, “okay, so what did you actually buy?”</p><p>    She waves her hand as she slouches back in the chair, “just fruits and such. I know it’s sometimes difficult for you to have a casual grocery shopping day, so I thought I would go ahead and grab some stuff for you while I was out.” Then she’s flipping a piece of her hair away, and adds under her breathe, “and maybe a couple condoms.”</p><p>    “Manon!” Lucas yelps, scandalised.</p><p>    “What?” She yells back just as surprised, “I need to know you’re being safe!”</p><p>    Lucas groans, “you’re like that one mom who’s just trying <em> so </em> hard to be cool.”</p><p>    “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she rebuttals as she pulls her legs up onto the chair with her. “So how was your day?”</p><p>    Lucas shrugs, pulling his knees to his chest and resting his chin between them, “I’ve just been rehearsing for a new role. It’s about a gay guy - er, couple - in the Great Depression. My audition is soon and I'm freaking out.”</p><p>    Manon nods towards the stack of papers laying on the coffee table, “is that the script?”</p><p>    Lucas nods and leans over to hand it to her. He watches her flip through the pages, inspecting specific lines throughout the scene. She was actually a drama major back when Lucas was in acting school. She’s gone on to produce her own plays, sticking more to directing than acting. But Lucas’s seen what she’s capable of, and everytime she acts it takes his breath away. She always offers him an audition for her play when she begins the production of a new project, though he always politely declines. He likes to work for his spot in a production, he doesn’t just want it handed to him.</p><p>    “It’s well written, that’s for sure,” she says and places the script back on the table, “I can tell the lines were thoroughly thought out. You seem perfect for the role of Niel. Is that who you’re auditioning for?”</p><p>    Lucas nods, “I am, yeah.” He’s really glad he has Manon in these situations, to express to him from a directors view, and as a friend, when she thinks of a certain script. Speaking of being friends… “Manon, I need your advice.”</p><p>    Manon perks up at that, a smile stretching across her face. “Ask me anything.”</p><p>    “Okay, so, some backstory. I was at the club the other night with the guys. And they all sort of… dispersed. So I was left alone at the bar, and this <em> super </em>hot guy comes over and talks to me. Somehow, I got brave enough to say that he should ask me to dance-”</p><p>    “Lucas!” Manon says, almost scandalised.</p><p>    “I know! But we started dancing. And he basically invited me to his apartment. I said no… kinda. But then, as we were parting ways he called me ‘Lucas.’ He said my name. But I never gave him my name…”</p><p>    Manon finishes his sentence when she says, “That means he knows who you are.”</p><p>    Lucas nods and lets his head fall.</p><p>    “Oh, Lucas, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’m sure he won’t out you. Plus, you will probably never see him again, anyway.”</p><p>    Lucas smiles, “I hope you’re right. It’s sort of been eating me alive. I just… I want to decide when I come out, I don’t want someone to decide that for me.”</p><p>    Manon places a hand on Lucas’s, “That’s absolutely reasonable, Lucas. It should be up to you. And Imane, Yann, Arthur, Basile and I will all make sure it is your choice, okay?”</p><p>    “Thank you, Manon.” He says and places a gentle kiss on her hand.</p><p>    She leaves about thirty minutes later, apparently getting a message from her roommate that a disaster (meaning something was either burnt or flooding) had occurred back at the apartment. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen her get up and out the door so fast in his life. Once the door is shut behind her and it’s just him left in his apartment, he decides to take a quick break and hop on his phone. And, okay, it’s not like he is <em> obsessed </em>with finding Eliott’s accounts, but, like, he would still like to know that Eliott is, in fact, a real person and not just something Lucas’s subconscious provided.</p><p>    He hopes that Eliott, and his just-had-mind-blowing-sex looking hair, and his tall and toned physique, and his large hands, was not all in his head. Well, obviously he knows he’s real. But, still, the whole night seemed like a hazy dream. Like Eliott was his own personal Flynn Rider (does Lucas have an obsession with that Disney character? Maybe a little). Lucas can feel his face flushing and his heart beginning to race as he thinks back on that night, of what could have been. If he was out they could have walked out of the club together and went to Eliott’s apartment. They could have kissed all the way up the stairwell until they stumbled into Eliott’s room giggling and pausing between kisses to just simply <em> look </em> at each other. He would have wholeheartedly let Eliott have him. The thought makes Lucas tense for a split second, the idea of giving up control to someone else that easily, but then again… he would trust Eliott to take him apart in a seamless way. Lucas would trust him to unravel all his worries and knots until all that was left was a perfectly silky thread that Eliott would rub beneath his fingertips. The next morning Lucas would wake before Eliott, of course, and look at the marks on Eliott’s back Lucas’s fingernails had left behind the night before. He would hear the echo of their moans in his ears as the morning sun crept through the window…</p><p>    Lucas doesn’t even realize he’s kneading himself through his jeans until he lets out an involuntary moan. He flinches away from his own touch as if he’d been shocked. He runs a hand through his hair, taking in his completely wrecked state before mumbling a nearly incoherent, “oh, shit.”</p><p>*</p><p>    It’s the day of the audition and Lucas can’t breathe. No matter how many times he auditions he can never get used to the nerves that build in his stomach and slowly make their way up towards his chest and slither their way down his arms and legs until he’s just a bundle of tension. He read over his lines at least a hundred times over the past week, but he just hopes that’s enough. This role means a lot to him personally, as well as to his career. This movie is already creating some Oscar-buzz, so if he can score one of the main roles… it would be everything.</p><p>    He’s sat in a long, gray-toned hallway with a bunch of other guys who fit the role. They’re all reading through their scripts, mumbling to themselves quietly as they read their lines. Lucas tries to not look at the script right before his audition. Instead, he usually sits on the floor and puts earphones in, and lets the music wash over him and clear his mind. He’s always been an anxious person, but the music helps to restart his brain right before a show or, like in this case, an audition.</p><p>    One-by-one actors get called into the audition room. It eventually rolls around to 7:45 pm, he’s been waiting for more than 4 hours. It’s just him and one other guy. Finally the director’s assistant pops her head back out, first looking over to Lucas, then to the other guy, before she calls the name “Ernest Mildrid.” Lucas’s heart sinks. As the guy gets up and collects his stuff Lucas begins to panic that maybe he got the date wrong, or maybe they don’t want to see him.</p><p>    He can feel his heart in his throat when the door opens again and the guy, Ernest, walks back out, a content smile on his face. A few moments later and the assistant is gazing down the hallway towards Lucas when finally, <em> finally, </em> she calls “Lucas Lallemant?” Lucas gathers his script in his hand and walks towards the door.</p><p>    When he enters the room he sets his phone and jacket on the chair to his left. He turns and smiles at the director, casting director, and producer all sat behind one of the fold-out desks. The director’s assistant goes behind the camera. Lucas watches her angle it slightly downwards and his hands twitch anxiously against his script.</p><p>    “Lucas, thank you for being here today,” the director says.</p><p>    Lucas smiles, “My pleasure.”</p><p>    “We’re just going to get started with the reading right away, sound good?”</p><p>    “Yes, sir.”</p><p>    The casting director then speaks, “Please say your name and age to the camera.”</p><p>    Lucas turns his head back towards the camera, stating exactly what was asked of him. “Perfect,” the director said, “now, to play your costar, since we don’t have the actual actor chosen just yet, we are going to use your assistant. Or, at least, who will be your assistant if you get the role.”</p><p>    It isn’t until then that Lucas notices the presence sitting on the other side of the room, positioned just slightly out of his vision. The figure walks slowly into his peripheral, and Lucas goes rigid. There’s something so familiar about the warmth of the presence approaching him that he has to turn and look.</p><p>    “I’m Eliott, Eliott Demaury.” He says and offers Lucas his hand.</p><p>    <em> This is a joke, isn’t it? </em> That’s the first thought that runs through Lucas’s head. How can he be here? How… How can Eliott be here? Why here of all places? At his audition? After over a week of looking for this guy the universe plops him right here during Lucas’s audition?</p><p>    Lucas wipes the surprised look off his face and replaces it with a clean smile as he takes Eliott’s hand, “Lucas Lallemant.”</p><p>    “Alright, why don’t we start on page three, yes?” The director says, pulling Lucas out of his stupor.</p><p>    His audition, all-in-all, doesn’t go that poorly. He did well considering <em> Eliott </em> of all people was playing his sub-in costar. He didn’t trip over his lines and he got a compliment on his inflection (thank God, because he worked so damn hard on that). Honestly, Lucas was pretty shocked at how well Eliott portrayed his lines. He wouldn’t be surprised if the director was like “aha sike! Eliott <em> is </em> actually playing Henry, you fool!” He was concerned about the kiss at the end of the scene, but the director cut them off a good page before that even happened.</p><p>    They thanked Lucas for coming, told him he’d know if he’d gotten the part no later than a week from today since they plan on starting full staff read-throughs in about two weeks. Lucas helped put some equipment away for them, which he hopes scored him some brownie-points. Though, the whole time he could feel a pair of eyes drilling into the back of his skull.</p><p>    It was pitch black by the time he got outside and was walking towards his motorcycle. He didn’t park too far away, thank God, because he’s honestly terrified of walking alone at night. He’s sliding his jacket back on when he hears a faint, slightly out of breath, “Lucas, Lucas!” </p><p>    He turns his head up, looking for the owner of the voice, when his eyes land on Eliott frantically jogging out from the building. Lucas sighs. He really does contemplate just putting on his helmet and speeding away, but he’s been meaning to talk to Eliott for some time now anyways. Might as well just get it over with.</p><p>    Eliott pants for breath by the time he reaches Lucas, and Lucas, being Lucas, can’t hold in his laughter, “Did that 100 meter jog wear you out?”</p><p>    “Shut… up…” Eliott says between breaths. “I didn’t… just run from the building… I ran from the director’s car,” he smacks his lip as he straightens himself out. Then he throws his hand haphazardly in a direction Lucas can’t really make out, “it’s all the way over there.”</p><p>    Lucas hums, “I see.”</p><p>    Eliott’s eyes briefly meet Lucas’s before he’s looking down at the ground, or back towards the building, or even at Lucas’s motorcycle, anywhere but Lucas’s face. “You were really good today.”</p><p>    And that… is honestly not what he thought Eliott was going to say. He thought he was going to start with “so, I told everyone you were gay. Is that okay?” The last thing he was expecting was a compliment. And Lucas, being Lucas, deflects with a joke, “So, are you stalking me or what? Did you know I was going to be here?”</p><p>    “What?!” Eliott says, scandalised, and his eyes find their way back to Lucas’s, “No! No, of course not! I - I’m in Uni right now for Film and this assistant position was an opportunity given to me by my professor. I’m not stalking you, I promise.”</p><p>    Lucas breaks, can’t hold up the facade of the joke, “I know, idiot, I was joking. It’s just weird seeing you again, here of all places.”</p><p>    Eliott smiles shyly, and then Lucas’s getting flashbacks all over again. Of the lights of the club reflecting in Eliott’s eyes and hair. Of the way his hands grabbed Lucas’s hips with a bruising force. Of the way he whispered in Lucas’s ear… saying how badly he wanted to take him apart…</p><p>    “I should get going,” Lucas says hurriedly and reaches for his helmet hanging on his handlebar, but Eliott’s faster.</p><p>    It almost seems like Eliott didn’t even know what he did, and that all of a sudden he just had a helmet in his hand, because he looked as shocked as Lucas. “Wha - give it!” Lucas says and lunges for it. But Eliott’s tall, and Lucas’s not. So it was a failed idea from the start.</p><p>    “Not until we talk.”</p><p>    Lucas raises an eyebrow. “About what?”</p><p>    “About two weeks ago.”</p><p>    Lucas bites the inside of his cheek, an anxious habit, as he averts his gaze. “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”</p><p>    Eliott groans, “<em> Please </em>, don’t be difficult. I’m already trying so hard not to kiss you.” Lucas rolls his eyes, but can’t hide the red that coats his cheeks. “I’m guessing… you aren’t out, are you? Is that why you didn’t want to come back with me that night?”</p><p>    Lucas scoffs, “You’re really full of yourself, huh? The <em> only possible reason </em> why I wouldn’t come back with you is because I wasn’t out?”</p><p>    Eliott smirks, “Well, from what I felt on the dancefloor, and <em> believe me </em> I felt <em> plenty </em>, your body was more than willing to -”</p><p>    “Blah-ahh!” Lucas says to cut off Eliott before he could say anything further, otherwise Lucas might combust on the spot. “You’re being so damn loud, what if someone hears you?!”</p><p>    Eliott raises his eyebrows before looking out over the empty parking lot, “Lucas… there’s no one else here.”</p><p>    Lucas sighs angrily and crosses his arms over his chest, “Listen, you’re right. I’m not out yet. I’ve been trying to get in contact with you to tell you to <em> please </em>not tell anyone, but you’re like off the grid or something. I get that it’s exciting, or whatever, because you know who I am, apparently. But, I just want it to be my decision when I come out.”</p><p>    Eliott smiles at Lucas, the arm holding Lucas’s helmet extending it forward into Lucas’s grasp. “I won’t tell anyone. I got to come out on my own terms and I want everyone else to as well. I won’t take that away from you.”</p><p>    “Th - thank you,” Lucas says and hugs his helmet tighter to his stomach. Neither of them make any move to walk away. He honestly feels so at peace here, in this empty parking lot, standing (more like bickering) with Eliott, only a motorcycle separating them. If he had a choice, he would never leave. Maybe there’s a version of him out there who doesn’t.</p><p>    “I should probably head off if I want to catch the bus before they stop running.” Eliott says, but still doesn’t make a move to leave.</p><p>    “Yeah, of course.” Lucas pauses, “I could give you a ride back, if you wanted.”</p><p>    Eliott smirks, “On your dick or on your motorcycle?”</p><p>*</p><p>    Lucas gave him a ride back on his <em> motorcycle </em>, definitely not his dick. He felt so at peace with Eliott’s arms wrapped around his middle as he drove through the city. Everything was a blur as he drove. Everything seemed to blend together, like he and Eliott and his motorcycle were the only real things left. The drive ends much sooner than Lucas would have liked, but there’s no way he’s telling Eliott that. As soon as Eliott hops off the warmth against his back disappears, once again leaving a hollow feeling in his chest.</p><p>    “Thank you for the ride back, much more pleasant than the bus.” Eliott says as he hands Lucas back his spare helmet.</p><p>    “Of course.” </p><p>    Then they’re there again, a weird game of “who will leave first.” They seem to be trapped in this weird tango where they don’t know what to say, but neither want to leave each other’s presence. Lucas averts his gaze first, flicking on and off his headlight (another anxious habit). But then there’s a hand being delicately placed on the bottom of Lucas’s chin, like if he pressed any harder Lucas would shatter. Eliott directs Lucas’s gaze back up to him, and then he’s leaning in and everything in Lucas’s chest is yelling “DANGER DANGER.” He feels his rate pick up at an alarming speed, but he can’t move. He’s frozen. Oh God, is Eliott going to kiss him? He-</p><p>    But then Eliott’s lips meet his cheek, it’s delicate and soft. A feathery press of his lips. It charges Lucas up like an electric current. All his nerve endings seem to only want to respond to is Eliott, as if Eliott is the sun and Lucas is just a field of sunflowers longing after the energy Eliott provides. Just as quickly as it all happens Eliott is retreating, his touches now ghosting across Lucas’s skin.</p><p>    “Did I check another box?” Eliott’s voice sounds distant as Lucas struggles to come down from his high.</p><p>    “What?”</p><p>    “Did I check another box on your ‘little shit’ list?” Eliott says as his grin widens, “I have a reputation to uphold, you know.”</p><p>    Lucas chuckles, “you did. Appearing randomly at my audition and making me drive you home are definitely both items on my little shit list.”</p><p>    “What about kissing your cheek, hm? Don’t I get a check for that, too?” Eliott asks, swaying on his heels.</p><p>    “Don’t get ahead of yourself there. You only get to check the kissing box if you actually kiss my lips -” Lucas’s cut short when Eliott’s thumb presses down on his bottom lip and rubs soothingly back and forth. Lucas’s breath falters as Eliott leans down making their lock eyes.</p><p>    “I’ll be looking forward to that, then. Your lips are practically begging to be kissed. Do you know that? How fucking pretty they are.” Lucas scoffs and rolls his eyes, trying his best to turn his head away. “Fine if you don’t believe me, I’ll just have to convince you. But thankfully we have time for that.” Eliott says with a wink as he walks backwards towards the apartment building.</p><p>    What Eliott said doesn’t even settle until he’s all the way to the entryway, so he yells after him. “I don’t even know if I got the role yet, you idiot!”</p><p>    The grin Eliott sends his way before retreating into the apartment complex is enough to shine a ray of light through the wall Lucas has built around his heart.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm not super happy with how this chapter turned out, but I like the third chapter a lot more, so stay tuned for that one!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another update! Hooray! Hopefully ao3 will actually show that I updated this time... ugh, that was so annoying. Anyways! Hope you guys enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>Lucas is doing great. He’s fine. He’s not freaking out or anything. It’s not like he got the role and now he has to deal with Eliott being his assistant or anything cause that would be… ahaha, that would be <em> crazy </em>. And he’s definitely not pacing nervously outside Imane’s office. And he’s especially not freaking out because he got a text from Eliott today asking Lucas when he wanted to meet so he can give him the complete script. That’s definitely not why his heart rate spiked and his palms are all clammy.</p><p>“Lucas,” Imane’s voice travels from the other side of the wall, “I can see you out there. Get in here, and quite pacing. I hate that habit of yours.</p><p>Lucas lets out a sigh as he walks through the door, “If it stresses you out then don’t watch me pace.”</p><p>  Imane rolls her eyes and motions towards the chair for Lucas to take a seat. “I wanted to congratulate you on your role, actually. But if you’re going to be a little shit, then -”</p><p>“No, no, I’m sorry. I’m just stressed. But, thank you. I couldn’t have asked for a better manager,” Lucas says with a wink.</p><p>Imane chuckles and taps her pen against her desk, as if contemplating something, before she sets it in her pencil holder. “Why are you stressed? I thought you’d be more excited about the role…”</p><p>“I am!” Lucas hurriedly says, “I am excited about it. It’s just, about three weeks ago I went out clubbing with the guys. And a guy, Eliott, came up to me. We started talking, and I thought ‘he doesn’t know who I am, this is my chance to be brave.’ So we danced. And then, as I was leaving, he called me ‘Lucas,’ but I never gave him my name. Which means he knew who I was.” Lucas pauses, trying to gage Imane’s reaction, but she has the best poker-face in the game. “I thought I wouldn’t ever see him again, but then… when I got to the audition… there Eliott was. They said that, if I got the role, he would be my assistant. So, now…”</p><p>Imane sighs, “now that you got the role, he’s your assistant.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>“Shit, Lucas.” Imane says, aggravated, “how do you get yourself in these situations?”</p><p>“I’m sorry! But I talked to Eliott, and he said he wouldn’t out me. He seems like he’d be a trustworthy guy, but I’m still terrified he’s going to say something.”</p><p>Imane pauses and she purses her lips. “What’s Eliott’s last name?”</p><p>“Demaury.”</p><p>And, Lucas was really not expecting it when Imane started laughing. Has he ever seen her laugh before? Maybe once. “You are such a lucky bastard, I swear.”</p><p>Lucas raises an eyebrow, “what?”</p><p>“Idriss, my brother, is good friends with Eliott, your Eliott. I can talk to him so he can talk with Eliott. God, you - you are so unlucky and lucky at the same time.” Imane says, still softly chuckling to herself as she picks up her phone.</p><p>It’s when Imane’s talking on the phone that Lucas gets another text message. He flips his phone over, thinking that it would just be a text message from Le Gang group chat, but “Unknown Number” flashes across the screen and Lucas’s heart drops.</p><p>
  
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</p><p>Lucas ends up leaving Imane’s office around two, and it’s about a thirty minute drive to Eliott’s location, which is perfect because hopefully Eliott won’t doddle with Lucas and just rush to his class. Lucas wants as minimal contact as possible.</p><p>He takes his time getting there, choosing to take a longer route through the Parisian streets. And it’s completely Eliott’s fault if Lucas accidentally runs a couple red lights because his mind is too caught up with thinking about how Eliott’s hands would feel around his throat. Listen, it was Eliott who took it there. Lucas purely just wanted to strangle him, but then Eliott just had to embed the idea of choking and… Listen, Lucas is really deprived. When a hot guy says that he can “show you how kinky strangling can be,” your mind wanders.</p><p>Eventually, though, he has to arrive at the cafe. He’s lucky to get a spot right outside, considering it’s mid-afternoon at a University. He glances through the windows and sees the students huddled over their laptops and notes. He definitely doesn’t miss those days. He takes his time to compose himself. He isn’t wearing anything special today, just black pants, his white “HERO” shirt that Yann apparently despises and sunglasses. Lucas briefly wonders if Eliott would like this outfit. He practically blushes at the idea of Eliott checking him out in these</p><p>clothes, but he quickly stops his imagination from running any further, for multiple reasons. One, he has to work with Eliott now. The last thing he needs is to go and crush on his annoying(ly handsome) assistant. Two, he isn’t out so it’s not like he can actually have a relationship with Eliott. And three… okay, maybe he doesn’t have a third point. But still, he needs to stop thinking about Eliott in any way except for professionally. It’s dangerous for his health.</p><p>            When Lucas finally looks back up towards the window of the building he nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees Eliott sitting on the other side watching him with a villainous smirk. Lucas scowls as he gets off his motorcycle and walks into the cafe, plopping down on the chair opposite Eliott. (Lucas really tries not to notice how good Eliott looks in his monochromatic jumpsuit and his Doc Martens. But, shit, if Lucas wouldn’t let Eliott walk all over him. Also, Lucas can’t tell if it’s a new aspect to Eliott’s appearance, but a small silver hoop dangles from Eliott’s left ear, and Lucas has forgotten how to function.) </p><p>Lucas honestly doesn’t know why he has so much faith in Eliott to keep his sexuality a secret, after all he’s just a random university student. There’s just an aura about him, he supposes. His smile is genuine, and he giggles more than actually laughs, and his eyes turn into crescents when he gets excited. He just seems like an open book, and it took Lucas by surprise. Plus, he’s <em> hot </em>. With a capital H-O-T. That guy looks more like an Elite Model than an exhausted university student, and that’s really just homophobic towards Lucas. How dare the universe attack him with such a high-class specimen when he himself is not out yet so he can’t freely pursue this god of a man.</p><p>“Took you long enough to walk in here,” Eliott says and leans his elbows on the small circular table, “what were you thinking about out there, hm?”</p><p>Lucas rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest, “just thinking about how to deal with your snarky ass. Do you have the script?”</p><p>“I do.” Eliott states simply.</p><p>It becomes clear after a few seconds of Lucas staring Eliott down (at least trying to) that he has no actual intent in pulling the script out. He seems overly content staring straight back at Lucas, a smirk carving it’s way onto his lips. Lucas is the first to break, looking away and over at the counter that holds all of the cafe’s baked-goods. It’s then that he realizes he hasn’t actually had anything to eat yet today, but right now he has more pressing matters to take care of.</p><p>“Give me the script.” Lucas demands when his eyes dart back over to Eliott.</p><p>He hums and tilts his head, “nah, I’m good.”</p><p>Lucas clenches his hands and ducks his head, mumbling a soft, “god, you are the most annoying -”</p><p>He didn’t actually intend for Eliott to hear him, but he responds snarkily with, “I appreciate the compliment, though I should tell you I’m not a god.”</p><p>“Don’t you have to get to class, stupid Uni student.”</p><p>Eliott laughs, his smile is bright and Lucas is totally unprepared for it. Completely and utterly unprepared. “I do, I suppose. Though, I thought we’d hang out for a while. I missed my little Lulu.”</p><p>“Don’t call me that,” Lucas bites back, looking away to hide the redness that most definitely coats his cheeks.</p><p>“Hm, but I think you like it.”</p><p>“I most definitely do not.”</p><p>Eliott grins like the Cheshire cat as he leans back against his chair, “yes, you do."</p><p>“Christ! I don’t. Stop, Eliott. It’s not my fault that you’re so annoyingly…” Lucas trails off in order to stop himself from saying what was about to come bursting past his lips. He doesn’t need to boost Eliott’s ego anymore than he probably already has.</p><p>But he doesn’t stop himself fast enough, apparently, because Eliott’s suddenly leaning back in, “I’m so annoyingly what, Lucas? Care to tell me?”</p><p>“Annoying,” Lucas bites back, “you’re just annoying. You must have misheard me. I didn’t say ‘annoyingly.’”</p><p>Eliott raises an eyebrow, “are you lying to me, Lucas?”</p><p>Lucas scoffs, “now why would I do that?”</p><p>“You tell me.”</p><p>Stupid Eliott. Stupidly attractive and flirty Eliott. Stupid Eliott that makes Lucas’s heart race without his consent. Honestly, it’s just Lucas’s luck that Eliott would be his assistant during <em> this </em> period of his life. The period where he’s still in the closet, but on the brink of coming out. Because he wants to give in to Eliott, he wants to be back on the dance floor with him: grinding and (possibly, maybe, hopefully) making out. He wants to <em> be </em>with Eliott. He wants to hold his hand, he wants to go on cheesy dates, he wants to spend nights in with Eliott, all of it. And Lucas is so close, he’s so close to being brave enough to come out he can practically feel it on the tip of his tongue. It’s between one breath and the next that Lucas lets himself think that, yeah, maybe this whole process will be easier with Eliott by his side. Maybe now is the best time to come out. But… Eliott is only in his life for this project. For this specific movie. Just because Eliott is by his side now doesn’t mean he will be later.</p><p>“You’ve gone silent over there, should I be worried?” Eliott asks, snapping Lucas out of his trance.</p><p>“I’ll be peachy keen once you hand over the script,” Lucas bounces back.</p><p>“Well, the last thing I want is to be the reason you’re upset…” Then he adds as an afterthought, “Lulu.” Lucas is firing up to respond just as Eliott produces the hefty script from somewhere out of his backpack. Lucas is ready to rip it from his grasp, but just as he’s about to take it, Eliott brings it far from his reach. “I’ll give it to you on one condition.”</p><p>Lucas narrows his eyes and lets his arm fall limp on the table, “I don’t do conditions.”</p><p>“You will today.” Eliott says. <em> God, he is so infuriating. Stupid hot idiot. </em>“I’ll give you the script so long as you meet me for dinner tonight.”</p><p>“Why would I do that?”</p><p>“Because you like me.” Eliott says with a heart-melting smile.</p><p>Lucas “hmphs” as he falls back against his chair, “I don’t remember saying that.”</p><p>“You didn’t have to. I could see it.”</p><p>“Might want to get your eyesight checked then, because I most definitely am not interested enough to go out for dinner.”</p><p>Eliott clutches at his heart as if in pain which makes Lucas roll his eyes. “How could you say that? I think you just broke my heart.”</p><p>Lucas groans, “fine. Okay. I’ll go to dinner with you.” Eliott perks up, and Lucas swears he can see his tail wagging in excitement, so he hastily adds, “not tonight though. I have a busy week preparing for rehearsals and such, but! I do promise that I will go get dinner with you at some point. You can hold me to it.”</p><p>Eliott eyes Lucas warily, “pinky promise?”</p><p>“What, are you five?” Lucas snaps.</p><p>Eliott pouts, “no one can break pinky promises, Lulu.”</p><p>Lucas is practically fuming when he reaches his hand across the table, extending his pinky for Eliott to wrap with his own, “okay, fine, I ‘pinky promise.’”</p><p>Eliott is beaming when he wraps their pinkies together before handing Lucas the script. Lucas practically sighs in relief when it falls in his grasp, <em> finally! </em> How is he going to last through the months of filming and press tours with this little shit as his assistant? Is the universe just hoping for Lucas’s death? Like, of course Eliott looks like the World’s Next Top Model, but then he’s also the most annoyingly charming asshole. It’s a deadly combo and terrible for Lucas’s health.</p><p>Eliott clears his throat just as Lucas’s standing up and ready to walk towards the door and pretend this afternoon didn’t happen. “I - I still have a little less than an hour, um, before my next class. Would you want to, I don’t know, get a drink?” When Lucas doesn’t respond Eliott starts floundering like a fish out of water, “or - or if you don’t want something to drink you can get a pastry? Or if that doesn’t work… well, I’m not sure what else you would get because that seems like all they have. But, we could just go for a walk, or something, if you -”</p><p>Lucas decides to put the poor man out of his misery. He’s somewhat tempted to just let Eliott keep rambling, because he looks really cute like this. His cheeks are red with embarrassment and he can’t seem to meet Lucas’s gaze. A direct contrast to how he was acting earlier when he had the upper hand. Interesting. “I can spare some time.” He says and relaxes back into the chair he was previously sitting on. He decides to take it one step further by sending Eliott a wink while he says, “it’ll be my treat, yeah? Don’t need a broke Uni student to pay for my snack.”</p><p>Eliott opens his mouth, ready to rebuttal, but slowly looks downwards, defeated. “I would say that I’m not a broke Uni student, but it’s true. My bank account is on the brink of extinction.”</p><p>Lucas laughs before waving over a worker who promptly takes their orders. Lucas decides on a ham and cheese croissant, because he hasn’t eaten anything today, and Eliott settles on the peppermint bark hot chocolate. Probably the sweetest drink on the menu. Lucas has to hide his laughter while he orders. </p><p>“Thanks, Lulu.” Eliott says once he has the hot chocolate in his hands. He’s blowing on it slowly, and honestly it’s driving Lucas insane. Eliott trying to cool down his drink should not be as attractive as it is.</p><p>“Quit calling me Lulu. You need to respect your elders,” Lucas says as he tears into his own order.</p><p>Eliott sputters with laughter, “you aren’t my elder.”</p><p>That makes Lucas look back over, “what? But aren’t you still in Uni?”</p><p>“Well, yeah. I changed my major my fourth year, which made me have to redo a few years since I had to take different classes. But, no, I’m two years older than you. So, technically, you should be respectful to me,” and he adds as an afterthought, “Lulu.”</p><p>Lucas rolls his eyes, “shut up.” He pauses, “what was your major before it was film?”</p><p>“Psychology. I have bipolar disorder, which caused some issues in the past, so I wanted to take it as my major to maybe help others in similar situations. But then I realised that I could still help even if I didn’t do it professionally. I then decided my real passion was for film. So, here we are,” Eliott says it all with a soft smile.</p><p>And… that was not what Lucas was expecting at all. He’s glad Eliott told him, he’s glad that he feels safe enough to do so. Lucas knows you shouldn’t judge anyone by their mental</p><p>illness, especially since his mom is schizophrenic. He can tell by the look in Eliott’s eyes that he’s somewhat scared of what Lucas will say; how he will react. Lucas sighs and looks back down towards his croissant. He’s sure that telling people must not get any easier for Eliott. It’s probably scary carrying around something like that and knowing people will judge you if/when you tell them.</p><p>“Thanks for telling me, Eliott. I’m glad that you feel safe enough to share that information with me.” Eliott shrugs as he takes a sip of his drink, doing his best to appear nonchalant, but Lucas can see through the act. “My mom is schizophrenic, actually. Regrettably, back in high school, I didn’t see her much. I do my best to visit her more now, but it hangs over my head from time to time.” When Eliott doesn’t say anything in response, Lucas starts to panic. “Not saying that she’s a burden, or anything. I just feel bad that it’s my fault our relationship plummeted when I was in high school. If I could go back and slap teen Lucas I would.”</p><p>Eliott smiles, “I’m sure she appreciated you coming to see her all the same.”</p><p>Lucas chooses not to respond. Truthfully, he doesn’t know how. And another part of him wants to move away from the topic of family completely. That area isn’t always such a great conversation for him. Eliott decides the opposite, however, when he asks, “and your dad? How’s he?”</p><p>Lucas purses his lips and chews on the inside of his mouth, a bad habit. He chooses to deflect with another question, “how far away is your next class from here?”</p><p>Eliott lets out a sharp exhale of breath that sounds somewhat like a laugh, “so I’m guessing your dad is a sensitive subject?”</p><p>“You could say that. You could also say he cut all contact with me and my mom when I was practically 15 years old in exchange for a relationship with a busty blonde.” Lucas says. He doesn’t mean for it to come out as cold as it did. Though, he isn’t sure why he was expecting it to come out any differently. His dad has always been a sore topic for him. Even more sore than when someone asks about his sexuality. Yeah, it’s that bad.</p><p>“Shit,” Eliott says over his cup of hot chocolate, “sorry, I shouldn’t have pressed.”</p><p>Lucas shrugs, “it’s… fine, I guess. I mean, I guess you need to know that if you’re going to be my assistant. During press tours the interviewers are going to dig up as much shit as they can on me. Everything pretty much goes with them, and at some point you’ll have to know when to step in and cut them off. Basically if they start asking about my family or start making wild accusations about relationships you can cut them off.”</p><p>Eliott draws his lips into a thin line, “maybe we should have a safe word then?”</p><p>Lucas snickers as he tears another piece away from the croissant, “kinky.”</p><p>Eliott’s mouth falls agape in shock, “Lucas Lallemant making a sex joke? I never thought I’d see the day.”</p><p>Lucas smirks, “hey, you have no idea what’s going on up here.” He says and points towards his head.</p><p>“No, but I’d like to find out.”</p><p>Lucas sputters, nearly choking on his bite of ham and cheese, before catching his breath. He decides to steer them back to what they were talking about before. Definitely don’t need to be going down the <em> kinky </em>route right now. “Okay, so a safe word. It would have to be something that I could bring up during a normal conversation.”</p><p>Eliott hums with thought, “how about… home?”</p><p>“Home.”</p><p>“Home will be our always,” Lucas gags in response which makes Eliott laugh, “sorry, I had to. But yeah, home. It’s a word you could fit into a sentence, but it would still stand out to me.”</p><p>Lucas nods along, “yeah, that could work.”</p><p>They talk for a little longer, mainly about the lecture that Eliott has next, which is his drawing and painting class. Lucas gets to see a couple of Eliott’s pieces off of his phone. Eliott also shows him how he draws people as animals, and Lucas wants to ask what Eliott would draw him as, but bites his tongue. When Eliott sees the time he curses under his breath, saying that he’s already late. They walk out of the cafe, saying a few quick parting words. It’s when Lucas is getting on his motorcycle, and Eliott is walking backwards, his body swaying back and forth with his uneven stride, that Lucas yells out a quick, “let me know when you figure out what animal I am!”</p><p>Eliott’s face crinkles into a beaming smile when he yells back, “I already know what you are, little hedgehog! I’ll message you after class!” Then disappears around the corner. A part of Lucas following helplessly behind him.</p><p>On his ride back home Lucas feels his gut twisting. <em> Uh oh, </em> it’s saying. Uh oh is right. Uh oh, because everytime Eliott smiles Lucas’s stomach feels like it’s in his throat. Uh oh, because even though Eliott is annoying, he’s really sweet and kind and compassionate and talented. Uh oh, because Lucas can feel himself falling. It’s happening fast and hard. Uh oh, because he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to crawl his way back out from the trenches, at least not this time. And he doesn’t know if he wants to.</p><p>He doesn’t even touch the script when he arrives back at the apartment. He supposes he should, after he spent all the time just to <em> get </em> the damn thing. But he’s also exhausted. So, he falls onto his bed with a deep groan, racking his lungs with the force of it. He doesn’t know what to do with himself, so he does what he does best, makes himself into a human burrito with four or five blankets then huddles over his laptop as he rewatches <em> Call Me By Your Name </em>. (Listen he’s a sad, closeted, lonely gay boy who is crushing for someone way out of his league. Let him have his sad, gay moment.)</p><p>It’s around eight (at least that’s what he predicts, because he is now rewatching the movie for the second time that night) when his phone rings. </p><p>“Ugh, Elio, what -” Lucas stops himself mid sentence when he realizes what he just said. Okay, maybe he does need a break from sad, gay movies then, “shit, I meant Eliott, sorry. What is it?”</p><p>Eliott laughs from the other end, “Elio, huh? Watching <em> Call Me By Your Name </em> over there?”</p><p>“Maybe…”</p><p>Eliott laughs again. This time it sounds full-bellied, as if he’s laughing with his whole body and it’s overtaking him. “Oh God, of course you are!”</p><p>“Stop! Let me have my moment.” He’s very protective of these two characters. He watched this movie religiously during Uni.</p><p>“Let me guess,” Eliott says between his fits of laughter, “Timothee Chalamet was your <em> sexual awakening </em>?”</p><p>Lucas hums, “he would be… but have you <em> seen </em>Armie Hammer? Him and his Nordic God presence? That man is a full meal.”</p><p>“Mm, is he? I had my eyes glued to Elio’s butt the whole time.”</p><p>Lucas gasps and springs himself off the mattress to march his way towards the kitchen. “So you admit! You have seen this sad, gay movie!”</p><p>“Well, duh, I never said I didn’t see it. It’s a steeple in our culture, of course I saw it.”</p><p>Lucas rolls his eyes even though he knows Eliott can’t see him. “Don’t bash me watching it then, it’s a beautiful film.”</p><p>“Yeah, if you like to cry.”</p><p>“Of course I do! That’s <em> why </em>I’m watching it!”</p><p>Eliott laughs. His ends fizzles for a couple seconds before returning to normal, a sign telling Lucas that he’s probably underground in the subway, or at least somewhere of the sort. “I can just imagine you with a box of tissues beside you as you wrap yourself in some kind of… like, blanket burrito.” When Lucas falls silent (because what is he going to say?!) Eliott gasps, “don’t tell me little Lulu actually wraps himself in a blanket burrito to watch a sad movie.”</p><p>“Well, I,” Lucas groans in frustration, “how <em> else </em> are you supposed to watch a sad movie then, huh? You don’t watch it like a normal movie, and you don’t watch it like a comedy. You don’t just parade around with it playing on your laptop! You’re supposed to delve into the story and get too emotionally invested so that when something bad happens you start crying!”</p><p>There’s the sound of a screeching horn on the other line followed by the sound of steam. Yup, Eliott is probably boarding a train. “I guess I’ve been watching sad movies very wrong then.”</p><p>An idea pops into Lucas’s head, and it rushes out too fast that he doesn’t <em> really </em> have time to stop it. “I guess I’ll just have to show you how then.”</p><p>He can practically see Eliott’s coy smirk when he replies, “now, I wouldn’t say no to that.”</p><p>They both fall silent for a few moments, just the sound of their breathing travelling between one another. Lucas opens his fridge while he waits, then sends a silent thank you to Manon for actually picking him up some groceries. If it weren’t for her he wouldn’t even have eggs in his fridge. He pulls the carton out then turns to grab a pan from his cupboard. It’s only when he accidentally drops it on the ground that he hears a “christ!” yelled from the other line. Lucas laughs as he picks it back up and places it on the stove.</p><p>“Jesus, Lucas. What the hell was that?!” Eliott yells to him in a whisper over the phone, “I’m on a train, that scared the shit out of me.”</p><p>“My bad, just trying to make some dinner over here. It’s <em> you </em> who called <em> me </em>, remember? What did you want to talk about anyways? Hopefully it’s something business related, because I’ve already wasted so much time with you.”</p><p>“Ah, yes, my bad. I mustn't hold you from your rewatching of <em> Call Me By Your Name. </em>”</p><p>“Damn, right.” Lucas says and cracks an egg on the side of the pan with his free hand.</p><p>“Anyways, yeah.” Eliott falls silent. Lucas briefly wonders if the line went dead before Eliott’s voice comes back, “I was calling you to just… let you know the directors picked a person to play Henry. You’ll meet him during the first staff read through. He’s… fine looking.”</p><p>Lucas smiles into his phone, “do I hear some jealousy in your voice there, hot shot?”</p><p>“Me? No, pff, of course not. At least, not when I know that you’ll call me by your name and I’ll call you by mine.”</p><p>“Oh, haha,” Lucas says sarcastically, though there is nothing fake about the smile on his face, “very funny. Now go along and enjoy your train ride, Eliott.”</p><p>“I think you meant to call me Lulu.” Eliott says.</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>A pause, then a barely legible, “night, Eliott.”</p><p>And who is Lucas to not live out one of his fantasies, which is to have someone play along with him in the trope of <em> Call Me By Your Name </em>? “Night, Lucas.”</p><p>
  
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</p><p>*</p><p>The night before the staff read-through Lucas finds himself chilling during a night-in with the guys. If ‘chilling’ is the right word to use. So far, they’ve had two VERY heated games of Mario Kart. When that got too tense they moved onto FIFA, which was just a bad idea from the start. The last time they played a tournament of FIFA Basile ended up flipping the coffee table (he says by accident, but everyone else says differently) and Yann had smashed his controller on the ground (another supposed accident). Thankfully the game froze before the tournament could get carried away, so they decided to order a second pizza while the boys opened a second “cold one,” as they said.</p><p>It teeters around 11 pm before the pizza actually arrives. Basile and Arthur cheer as Yann comes back with a large cheese pizza in hand. This is why Lucas <em> despises </em> early Sunday read-throughs, he never gets enough sleep the night before. Which, he realizes, is mainly his fault. But still, <em> Sunday </em> of all days? Like, why? His phone buzzes in his pocket, which, thankfully, can distract him from Basile trying to balance his pizza on his bottle of beer. When he reads the ID his face scrunches up in confusion, before he remembers that last night, after their call, he had changed Eliott’s name to just a gentle reminder for himself… </p><p>
  
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</p><p>“Earth to Lucas. Earth to Lucas,” Yann repeats as he waves a hand in front of Lucas’s eyes. “You good man? You’ve had this weird smile on your face for the past, like, fifteen minutes. We started making fun of you but even that didn’t snap you out of your weird ass trance.”</p><p>Basile laughs as he sways a bit from side to side on his seat on the floor, most likely from his alcohol intake. “Does Lulu have a maaan?”</p><p>Lucas shrugs and averts his gaze. His phone buzzes a couple times in his hand but he flips it face down so he doesn’t have the urge to check. “Not… exactly.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Basile says, his voice squeaking.</p><p>“Whoa, you… you’re seeing someone?” Arthur asks incredulously.</p><p>Lucas shakes his head quickly, before they get carried away. “No! No. Well, not exactly. It’s sort of complicated…”</p><p>“We have time,” Yann says sincerely.</p><p>Lucas sighs, “okay. It started when we all went clubbing a while ago -”</p><p>“OMG IT’S THAT GUY YOU WERE DANCING WITH RIGHT?” Basile says too fast for Arthur to reach over and shut his mouth.</p><p>Lucas blinks at them, “you saw me?”</p><p>Arthur looks guilty over at him, “kinda. Basile and I were dancing and we saw you and this guy come on the dance floor. I was honestly so gone that night that it was coming back to me in bits and pieces, but, yeah.”</p><p>“Wait, what? I didn’t see any of this,” Yann says, gaze landing back on Lucas.</p><p>“I was getting to that. Just, let me finish before you guys say anything.” The guys all nod, “so, yes. There was a guy at the club. We danced. I never gave him my name for… reasons. But as I was leaving he called me Lucas, which meant that even though I didn’t tell him my name he</p><p>knew who I was. I sort of went frantic for about a week, trying to see if he has any type of social media account, but he must be off the fucking grid or something because I couldn’t find him. Then Imane set me up with an audition. When I got into the audition room, there he was.” Basile gasps, but Lucas keeps going, “I swear it was like the Universe was trying to play a trick on me. Anyways, we talked afterwards and he promised he wouldn’t out me. I didn’t think I was going to get the role, but I… did. Now Eliott’s, oh, that’s the guy’s name by the way, he’s my assistant now. It’s… a really interesting dynamic. Because, dear <em> God </em> , he’s so hot and cute and flirty and I would so willingly throw everything away to just <em> be </em> with him. But, on the other hand, I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I’m not out and he is, and he probably doesn’t want to be dragged back into the closet. Plus, he’s my assistant. It wouldn’t be a good idea to get involved right now. I’m not even sure if he’s into me. I mean, maybe he’s just flirty with everyone, or maybe he’s just a clout chaser, who knows? I also know that the media loves to twist every relationship I have however they want. I mean, Yann, you remember when they thought you and I were involved. That was a nightmare. I know that they are going to go the same route with Eliott and I and it’s… terrifying.”</p><p>Yann is the first to speak after moments of silence, “why didn’t you tell us you got a new role?”</p><p>Lucas quirks an eyebrow, “that’s what you took away from what I just said?”</p><p>Yann scoffs, “of course that’s not the <em> only </em>thing, but… why didn’t you tell us you got a role, let alone an audition?”</p><p>Lucas shrugs, suddenly it’s a lot harder to look any of them in the eye, “I don’t know. I guess I don’t want you guys to always think of me as this ‘movie star’ of a person, I just want to be your friend. I feel like every time I share a new role or a new audition it chips away from the Lucas I was back in high school or Uni.”</p><p>“Lucas, that’s bullshit,” Arthur pipes up, “you are and always will be the Lucas known as our best friend. Nothing is going to change that, we promise. We want you to share your achievements with us. It’s part of being your friend.” Basile hums in agreement. “Plus, we all grow and evolve as people. We wouldn’t want you to be the same you as you were back in high school or Uni anyways. We always say that you look so much more comfortable in yourself, Lulu. I mean, you wear these jaw-dropping outfits and you look genuinely <em> happy </em>when you do. Much more happy then when you were wearing sweats every day to class.”</p><p>“Yeah, it’s true.” Basile adds in his slightly drunk state, “you’ve grown into your skin over the years, and we love to see it happen. You being an amazing movie star doesn’t change how we think of you as a friend,” he snorts as he adds, “well, maybe you’re a little <em> cooler </em> now, but -”</p><p>“What Basile is trying to say,” Yann cuts in, “is that we have been and will be here for you every step of the way. We just want you to be open with us about everything, you shouldn’t be hesitant about sharing stuff to your best friends.” Lucas mouths a silent ‘thank you’ to all of them as he blinks back any tears that threaten at the edge of his eyes. Just like he said, a sad drunk. “As for this <em> Eliott </em> guy…” Yann cringes, “I don’t know, boys, any advice for Lulu?”</p><p>Arthur flashes his white-boy smile, and that’s when Lucas realizes it’s a lost cause, “be yourself?”</p><p>Lucas rolls his eyes, “wow, yeah, thanks. Super helpful.”</p><p>“Nah but really, Lu,” Basile mumbles, “be yourself. If he makes you happy, then hell, go for it. Don’t give a frick what the media has to say about. Because in the end you are the only</p><p>one who lives your own life, ya feel? Don’t waste it being scared of other people. Just invite me to your wedding when you get married, mkay?”</p><p>Lucas laughs, “thanks, Baz.”</p><p>Yann shrugs, “he does have a point. I mean, if the media is going to assume shit anyways why not give them a show? Give them exactly what they are looking for, practically spoon feed it to them.”</p><p>It’s nearly midnight by the time they usher out of Lucas’s apartment. Thank goodness, because he needs to be up, at the latest, by 7. He brushes his teeth and washes his face before changing into his fuzzy pajama bottoms. He hops in bed with Yann’s words circling around his head. <em> Give them a show, huh? </em> The media is going to start circling around his and Eliott’s relationship, it’s unavoidable since they will have to spend a lot of time together practically this whole next year. With Eliott being part of the LGBTQ+ community, he’s sure the media will catch on to that aspect and start creating annoying rumors. So, why not take the media by the reigns? Only give them what he wants to give them. Control it themselves.</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>come visit me on tumblr! @is-this-a-skam-account</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey!! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I'm a little nervous to post it, but I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments! Kudos and comments make my day! &lt;3 &lt;3 :D :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>    The next morning Lucas is dressed to kill. He has on a sheer black shirt with a stitched floral pattern paired with black pants and a shiny black belt, all partly concealed by a tan fuzzy trench coat. He also paints his nails black, just for the hell of it. He briefly wonders if Eliott will flounder upon the sight of them… no, <em> no </em>, Lucas. Don’t go that route…yet.</p><p>    Eliott is still spamming his phone with messages regarding his text last night that he sent before he went to bed, and also a few messages about today’s agenda. Lucas chooses to ignore them while he gets ready since he needs to make a good impression today. He’s meeting his co-star, after all. It’s the first proper day working on the project as a team.</p><p>    He’s in his car on the way to pick up Eliott, driving aimlessly down the road when he realizes, <em> shit he doesn’t actually know where he’s going </em>. He dials Eliott’s number and lets his phone connect to the car’s computer. It takes only a couple rings before Eliott’s picking up a rough “yeah?” from the other side. And holy wow, that gravely sleep-induced voice has Lucas’s dick reacting way too much for a Sunday morning.</p><p>    “Hey, I was on my way to you when I realized I didn’t know your address. What is it again?” Lucas asks as he desperately tries to turn around, damn you small Parisian streets!</p><p>    “Oh, shit, I fell asleep while I was waiting for your response. Okay, I’ll text you my address and I’ll be ready by the time you get here.” Lucas hums a reply and is waiting for Eliott to hang up when he comes back on and adds, “I’ve never been to a read-through before. Do I need to dress nice? I’m nervous.”</p><p>    Lucas laughs as he sees that Eliott sent him his address. He quickly plugs into his maps system before answering, “I dressed up, but you don’t have to. It’s more normal to come in a t-shirt and sweats.”</p><p>    “Okay.” Then he repeats, “okay. See you soon, love.” Lucas’s eyes blow wide at the comment, but Eliott is quick to correct himself, “shit! Sorry, I - I didn’t mean to call you that. My brain is… it’s so tired. Okay, I’ll - yeah I’m hanging up now.” Lucas laughs as Eliott hangs up the call.</p><p>    <em> I’m here </em>.</p><p>    Lucas sends the text as he inspects the building Eliott lives in. He saw it the night that he dropped Eliott off after the audition, but he never really took in the scenery. It’s… about what you would expect a Uni student to be living in. It’s a lot nicer than what Lucas was living in while he was in high school though, that’s for sure. Still, Eliott shouldn’t be living in a place like <em> this </em>. Not a building with it’s paint cracking and shutters falling off windows. He should be living somewhere nicer, maybe somewhere that overlooks the Seine…</p><p>    <em> Be right there. </em></p><p>    No, Lucas. No. You shouldn’t be deciding where Eliott lives and where he doesn’t. Maybe he likes it here in this run-down apartment complex. Who knows? Even if you imagine him living somewhere nicer doesn’t mean he <em> has </em> to. Not like he has to follow what Lucas says. Lucas can give him <em> advice </em> , because they are <em> friends </em> -</p><p>    Lucas feels his brain short circuit when Eliott comes bounding down the stairs of his apartment complex. Listen, Lucas knows there are people God favored over others when he was creating their appearance but <em> Lord </em> Eliott is like walking sin. Will seeing him ever get easier? Or will it still knock his breath out of his chest and shove him flat on his ass every time?</p><p>    Eliott jogs part of the way to Lucas’s car, like he couldn’t waste another second being apart. “Hey,” Lucas greets. He feels like he’s nearly out of breath, like he just ran a marathon or something. Honestly, it’s not Lucas’s fault for reacting this way because Eliott looks <em> fucking good </em>.</p><p>    Sure, Lucas put thought into his outfit this morning, so he hopes he looks good, but Eliott is on a whole other playing field. It’s almost like he just threw it on and magically looks amazing. Like he should be on the cover of <em> Vogue </em> or something. His hair is slightly combed back  out of his face, since it’s still somewhat damp (most likely because he just got out of the shower) but Lucas can already tell it’s going to dry perfectly messy. Just like how it always looks. The rest of him is covered in a monochromatic army green colored outfit. Now, Lucas’s never really found turtlenecks particularly sexy, but honest to God it is hugging him in all the right places. The sleeves are slightly rolled up to expose his forearm, revealing a… tattoo. Ugh, as if he couldn’t get any hotter. </p><p>    Honestly it’s homophobic that Lucas spent, probably, twice the amount of time, if not more, getting ready and he looks… meh. But Eliott comes sauntering out, with about 15 minutes of preparing, looking like <em> this </em>. Uncalled for, World. Uncalled for.</p><p>    Lucas stands outside his car once Eliott is a little closer. Suddenly he feels really fucking self-conscious. Maybe he shouldn’t have tried so hard? He likes how he looks… but maybe it’s a little much? He starts to fuss with his belt as he walks around his car, closer to Eliott. Eliott pauses a few feet from the car door and a couple feet from Lucas.</p><p>    “Hi,” Eliott finally greets. “You look good.”</p><p>    Lucas nods, “Yeah, thanks, you too.”</p><p>    Eliott’s eyes shift to something beyond Lucas’s shoulder, and Lucas is ready to turn to look but Eliott grabs onto his arm dragging his attention back to him. “I think a paparazzi followed you here. There’s someone sitting in their car with a lens pointed at us.”</p><p>    Lucas sighs, <em> and so it begins… </em></p><p>    “Okay, Eliott,” he gulps, “I know you were wondering about that message I sent to you last night?” He nods, urging Lucas to continue, “well… the media, they’re ruthless. They are going to follow us around, especially as the buzz of this new movie increases. They’re going to start assuming stuff about our relationship, because apparently I’ve always had a target on my back that they love to take shots at. Eventually they are going to create rumors involving what we are to each other, even though we’re just… friends. I was talking to a couple of the guys last night, and one of them said ‘why not give them exactly what they are looking for?’”</p><p>    Eliott’s eyes narrow, “Okay…”</p><p>    Lucas breathes in, “I know that we haven’t known each other for very long, so this is asking a lot of you, and honestly I don’t even know if you actually <em> like </em> me or if you’re just a flirty person, but…” Lucas doesn’t give him a chance to say anything, “but I need you to help me create my own narrative.”</p><p>    Eliott frowns, “I’m not sure if I follow.”</p><p>    Lucas groans, “it’s so hard to explain. Listen, my biggest fear is getting the chance to come out being taken away from me. I’m not saying that I want to come out <em> now </em>, but I am saying that I want to take the media by the reins. I want to control the story they are going to create between you and I.”</p><p>    Eliott nods, “Okay. So, you just want to give them a show?”</p><p>    “Precisely.”</p><p>    Eliott smirks, “I think we can manage that.”</p><p>    “Wha - really?”</p><p>    “Yeah, Lulu. I don’t want them to take away your right to come out. I know that rumors about your sexuality have followed you in your career, but you should still be able to tell people when you feel comfortable.” Lucas breathes a sigh of relief. “So, what does tricking the media entail? ‘Cause I have no problem kissing you in front of a camera,” Lucas rolls his eyes, “or anything of the sort. But how far do you plan on taking this?”</p><p>    Lucas’s eyebrows furrow, “I - I guess I haven’t really thought it through all the way? I want to give them ammo, you know? I want them talking about what we give them.”</p><p>    Eliott nods along, “Okay… Okay,” his frown transforms into a grin, “let’s give them one hell of a show, Lulu. And what’s a better time to start then now?” Lucas isn’t sure what he was expecting when Eliott lifts his hand with a tender grip. He was too busy being transfixed by how small his hand appears compared to Eliott’s (which triggers his...ahem...height kink. Listen, if a guy towers over Lucas, like Eliott, it just sparks this warm, fuzzy, butterfly-ish feeling in his stomach). Lucas’s heart feels like it’s bursting at its seams as Eliott brings his hand to his lips. It’s a gentle touch, similar to the kiss he gave Lucas on the cheek a week prior, but this time he lets it linger. Lucas is about ready to pull his hand away, when he remembers… right, they’re doing it because the paparazzi followed him here. He lets his heart fall back into his chest as Eliott lets his hand rest back at his side. “Let me get the door for you, love,” he says with a wink, then he’s jogging over to the driver side, propping the door open as he waits for Lucas to slide in.</p><p>    <em> Stop it </em> , Lucas wants to say to him as he drives them to the building at which the read-through is being held, <em> stop being so perfect and princely. Stop being so nice. Stop being so considerate. I won’t be able to stop myself from falling helplessly in love with you. </em></p><p>    “So what’s your plan with your outfit?” Eliott asks, “Do you plan on seducing your co-star?”</p><p>    Lucas frowns, “No…?”</p><p>    Eliott huffs a laugh, “Well, you definitely will, just saying.”</p><p>    Lucas laughs, “So, what you’re saying is that I look good?”</p><p>    “Good, yeah, that’s a fine word. But also sexy. Hot. All of the above, really. Nearly got my jaw to the floor when I saw you get out of the car.”</p><p>    Lucas hums, because, <em> how the hell is he supposed to respond to that </em>. “I take it you like it when I wear my more extravagant outfits then?” He asks as he turns a corner.</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “Yeah, you could say that. Not like I had the outfit you wore to the Oscars as my screensaver for half a year or anything.”</p><p>    Lucas grins, “Oh, you definitely had that outfit as your screensaver for way longer than a year. Don’t deny it.”</p><p>    “I do love my men being in touch with their feminine side, I must say.”</p><p>    Lucas feels his eyes blow wide. Jesus, help him get through this car ride. It’s like torture not to pull the car over right here and just mount Eliott. But they’re in public. And Lucas is still the big V-word, so there’s no way he would actually go through with it. No matter how hard his subconscious keeps the scene running in his head. The image of Lucas sitting upon Eliott’s lap as he reclines the seat backwards plays on the back of his eyelids every time he blinks. He imagines how he would feel Eliott’s chest rise and fall underneath him as they pant into each other’s mouths. He would watch Eliott’s irises blow out in desire, his eyes growing dark, as Lucas travels down… down… He wonders how good it would feel to just grind against Eliott in slow, rough circles. <em> No </em>, no. Lucas, pull yourself together. It’s just your hormones. You can do this. You can control yourself. Ugh, but he really wants to know how shocked Eliott would be if he actually got enough courage to do it… </p><p>    “Lucas, we’re passing it. It was back there,” Eliott says and points towards a building a half a block away. Lucas curses under his breath. There’s no way he’s going to be able to turn his car around, especially thanks to the fact the street is a one way. So, he just parallel parks into the closest spot. Lucas curses again when he realizes they're already a couple minutes late. How did that happen? “Did I get you a little distracted back there, hm?” Eliott asks him once they’re both out of the car and speed-walking their way back to the building.</p><p>    Lucas rolls his eyes, “You wish.”</p><p>    “I do wish, you’re right.”</p><p>    Lucas groans, “It’ll be a miracle if I don’t strangle you by the end of the day,” he says as Eliott holds the door open for him so he can walk in.</p><p>    “Kinky,” Eliott says as he follows him inside.</p><p>    Seriously, he’s going to <em> murder </em> him.</p><p>    Thankfully, when they arrive, even though Lucas is out of breath from running through the halls to try and find the <em> damn </em> room with Eliott meandering behind him (some assistant he’s turned out to be), the director assures him with a laugh that they’re running behind schedule anyways. “Why don’t you go get settled into your seats,” the director says and motions to the other side of the room where there are four long tables set up in a square with chairs around the outside, “introduce yourself to your co-stars, Lu.” Then he’s walking out the door while lighting a cigarette.</p><p>    Lucas huffs as he starts moving forward, scanning the room. It’s your general read-through area, just a rather bleak room with a few cameras scattered around to record the process, and a table on one of the far walls with coffee and fruits. Lucas turns his head towards Eliott, who walks a few paces behind him, to comment about the rotting apples and, most likely, cold coffee, but… honestly, he can’t walk straight on normal days, so why did he think turning around while trying to walk was a good idea? Lucas is only able to open his mouth before he’s toppling over somebody, sending them both careening to the ground. The person under him softens the fall with a soft ‘oomf,’ but they still end up with tangled limbs in the process.</p><p>    “Oh, God, I am <em> so </em>sorry,” Lucas says as he begins desperately clambering to his feet to help the poor bastard he just took down. “Are you okay?”</p><p>    The guy chuckles and <em> whoa </em> , okay he’s hot. He has a sort of ‘bad-boy’ vibe going on (more like e-boy, but Lucas isn’t one to judge when he looks like <em> that </em>), with his curly dark hair and sharp jawline. Okay, okay, Lucas can dig it. He takes Lucas’s hand to help him to his feet, “That’s quite a first impression you make, huh?”</p><p>    Lucas looks away shyly, “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going and I <em> promise </em> it won’t happen again, I -”</p><p>    The guy laughs again. His smile is doing something to Lucas’s heart. “Hey, it’s okay, I was kidding. I’m Tobias, Tobi for short, playing the role of Henry. You’re Lucas… Lucas Lallemant, right? Actor for Niel?” He asks and extends a hand, this time as an offer for a handshake.</p><p>    Lucas takes it with a relieved smile, “Nice to meet you, finally… Sorry that we met that way,” he says with a nervous laugh, “I’m looking forward to working with you, though.”</p><p>    Tobias smiles, “Me too.” He glances over Lucas’s shoulder, his smile faltering, “Are you an actor as well?” He asks.</p><p>    Lucas is briefly confused, because why would he be asking Lucas if he’s an actor if he just said he was his co-star? But when Eliott comes up to Lucas’s side, looping an arm over his shoulders and leaning on him, nearly sending Lucas to the floor for a second time, he realizes he was asking <em> Eliott </em>, “No, no. I’m Lucas’s assistant, actually. Eliott.” He says with a polite, tight-lipped smile.</p><p>    “Ah, okay. Well, nice to meet you both. I have to go get my morning coffee.” Then Tobias is looking back at Lucas, “Look forward to our read-through today.” </p><p>    Once he’s safely out of earshot Eliott takes his arm off Lucas’s shoulders. Lucas sends him a weird look before rolling his eyes. “What?” Then Lucas scoffs, “Let me guess, you don’t like Tobias?”</p><p>    Eliott pouts, “No. I don’t. He’s too…”</p><p>    Lucas sighs, “He’s <em> you </em>.”</p><p>    Eliott looks scandalized, “He is <em> not </em>!”</p><p>    Lucas chuckles, “Uh, yes, he is. He has that whole smoldering look but seems like he has a nice personality. He’s flirty and hot. And he looks like he could be a fuckboy. That’s <em> you </em>.”</p><p>    “Well, first of all, you think I’m smoldering and hot, huh?” Eliott asks with a smirk, “And, second of all, no. We are completely different. I look like a fuckboy but I’m <em> not </em> one. He is <em> obviously </em>a fuckboy. Plus, he was practically eating you with his eyes.”</p><p>    “Like you don’t do that.” Lucas says with a roll of his eyes as he starts to walk towards his chair.</p><p>    “Yeah, I do it.” Eliott says, jogging to catch up, “But I’m not doing it to my <em> co-star </em> that I’m going to spend the next few months <em> making out </em> with and having <em> fake sex </em>with. There’s a line. Plus, you like it when I do it.”</p><p>    Lucas scoffs, “So you’re just going to assume I like it, then? What if I say I hate it? That it makes my skin crawl? But not in a good way.” He says as he looks over the nametags placed by each chair. He eventually spots his and Eliott’s and starts walking in the direction as Eliott trails directly behind him.</p><p>    “I can tell you like it, Lucas.” Eliott says plainly.</p><p>    Lucas turns on his heels and tilts his head back to look at Eliott face to face. Eliott halts to a stop, but can’t seem to hold eye contact. His eyes start to dark anywhere that is not Lucas. He smirks, “Really? You can <em> tell </em>, huh? Tell me, what do I do then? Do I blush? Do I look away shyly, like you are now? Do I swallow anxiously as I imagine what’s going on inside that head of yours?”</p><p>    “I - I, yeah… you…” Eliott sputters.</p><p>    Just then the director walks back in the room, putting Eliott out of his misery, and the room freezes. Silence falls as everyone waits for his direction. “Alright, first day, everyone!” The director begins, “I’m excited to kick things off. Why don’t we all have a seat and I’ll tell you the rest.”</p><p>    People start filling in their spots one-by-one. Lucas slides his chair out as Eliott plops down beside him. Tobi eventually makes his way to his seat and flashes Lucas a smile as he sits down. Lucas looks at Eliott over his shoulder, and has to hide his laughter with a cough when he sees the <em> scowl </em> on his assistant’s face. “Thank you, everyone, for showing up today,” the director starts speaking again, “We are going to spend the next week running through each scene line by line. I know this may seem like a grueling process, but it will be worth it in the end, I promise. The script itself has less dialogue and it’s more about the undertones of what the characters are saying, but it’s beautifully written so don’t stress about it too much. This story is… very near and dear to my heart. I’m gay myself so I thought it was important to show two men falling in love in a time that was full of tragedy. It shows that you can still find hope in the darkest of places.” Silence fills the room before the director claps his hands together, “Right. Let’s get started shall we. Opening scene begins with a panoramic shot of a city. We center in on Niel entering a grocery store, Henry is the worker, take it away.”</p><p>*</p><p>
  
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</p><p>*</p><p>    It’s the middle of the week when Eliott and Lucas make it front page on a stupid gossip magazine. It’s the picture of them on Sunday, Eliott kissing his hand, with big block letters “Lucas Lallemant’s Big Secret!!” But once you actually go to the article itself it’s no longer than half a paragraph reading: “Spotted! Lucas Lallemant picks up a hottie from his apartment Sunday morning. Both very sharply dressed… suspicious, you two. But wait! It gets better. Hottie, after a bit of talking, kisses Lucas’s hand! OMG! What could be going on between these two? Seems like Lucas was more than content when they got in his car and drove off! What are we thinking, social media spies?” Lucas reads it aloud to Eliott Wednesday after that day's rehearsal in the comfort and safety of his apartment.</p><p>    Eliott laughs at the ridiculous wording of the article and takes the magazine from Lucas, “Well, at least they got my good side.” He says, flipping back to the front cover.</p><p>    Lucas hums into his cup of coffee, “Yeah. At least they didn’t cover your face with a picture of Jennifer Aniston. I mean, c’mon, if you’re going to use my name as the <em> big article </em>at least don’t cover up my head.”</p><p>    “Hate to break it to you, but I’m obviously the star of the photo. They saw how attractive I was and thought ‘pff, who’s Lucas? Don’t know him.’” Eliott says with a laugh as he places the magazine off to the side.</p><p>    Lucas rolls his eyes, “Whatever. Also, I mean, you’re okay with this, right? The media can be pretty ruthless. They’re definitely going to try and figure out who you are in order to get some dirt on you.”</p><p>    Eliott shrugs, “I don’t really have any ‘dirt’ for them to dig up, to be completely honest. Plus, I don’t have an actual social media account for them to stalk. Well, I mean, I have one. But it’s private, so they probably won’t be able to find a picture of me from there.”</p><p>    “Wha - you have a social media account? I couldn’t find it!” Lucas says exasperated.</p><p>    Eliott raises his eyebrows, “Were you stalking me, Lulu?”</p><p>    “Yeah, in your dreams.” Lucas counters.</p><p>    “You’re right.”</p><p>    “About what?” Lucas asks.</p><p>    Eliott grins at him, “You do stalk me in my dreams. Though,” he chuckles, “I should tell you, we do a little more than that.”</p><p>    Lucas scrunches his face and makes a gagging sound. But, on the inside, his heart is ricocheting in his chest. Like, how can Eliott say that so casually?! What exactly do they do in Eliott’s dream?? He’s sure he wouldn’t be opposed to all of it… If it’s Eliott he would have barely any, how should he say, <em> restrictions </em> on their activities. He shakes his head to pull him back to reality before his consciousness takes him someplace he should not be going in the middle of the day when said person is right in front of him.</p><p>    “Just keep it in your dreams, buddy,” Lucas laughs as he stands up. They’re currently positioned in Lucas’s kitchen, because he <em> intended </em>on making himself dinner, but then plans got sort of messed up when Eliott spotted that stupid magazine as they were leaving rehearsal. It was… a whole thing. “Do you want something to eat?” Lucas asks as he looks around his fridge. He hasn’t been out grocery shopping recently, so everything is rather bare… though he could scrounge together everything needed for a pizza, because, apparently, in the limited items he has he thought to buy pre-made dough. “Pizza good with you? I have everything we need, we just have to put it together.” Lucas says and pops his head back out from the fridge to gage Eliott’s reaction.</p><p>    “Yeah, that works. I have to warn you though, I’m not a chef.”</p><p>    Lucas smiles, “Neither am I, but we can make this work.”</p><p>    Eliott shakes his head, “No, no. I’m sure you at least can make grilled cheese without setting off the smoke alarm and making your girlfriend puke… I, however, cannot.”</p><p>    Two things start running through Lucas’s head. The first is, holy shit this kid really can’t cook, huh? The second: shit, he has a girlfriend. “Girlfriend?” Lucas lets the word slip past his lips and he immediately averts his gaze back at the fridge because <em> why the hell did he just say that! It’s not his business if Eliott has a girlfriend or not! </em> Well, actually, it sort of is. Considering they are <em> supposed </em>to be tricking the media, but… </p><p>    He can practically hear the smile in Eliott’s voice as he says, “You don’t have any competition, baby, don’t worry.” Lucas tries his best not to notice how the pet name went directly to his dick, but it’s really hard (pun intended) when he can feel Eliott watching his every move, “Ex-girlfriend, I should have said.” Lucas nods as he gathers the ingredients for the pizza and places them on the counter one-by-one. “We were together for a while, actually. But, I broke it off when I started Uni. She became less of my girlfriend and more of a mother, which is not what I want. Though, that being said, I do want a relationship. I like being in one.”</p><p>    “That’s understandable,” Lucas replies as he busies himself with trying to find the can opener for the <em> damn </em> tomato sauce. But his hands won’t stop shaking because one thing keeps revolving around Lucas’s mind, <em> Eliott’s single and ready for a relationship </em>.</p><p>    “What about you, hm? Any past loves I should know about?” Eliott asks from somewhere out of Lucas’s view. He ducks down to look inside a cabinet (he knows the can opener wouldn’t be in here but now it’s less about actually finding the stupid thing and more about avoiding Eliott’s gaze).</p><p>    “No, nothing you <em> should </em>know about.”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “Okay, well, I’m still interested. Any past relationships? Bad ones or good ones?”</p><p>    Lucas clears his throat as he stands back up and, huh, the can opener was in the cabinet, how’d it get there? “Uh, so do you like a lot of sauce or a lot of cheese? Personally, I like cheese, but I’m open to having a debate on the -” Lucas gasps when there are suddenly two hands climbing their way up underneath his shirt. The touch of fingertips to skin is feather light, like Eliott is just mapping out the terrain before going in for the kill. His lips find their way to the side of Lucas’s neck before leaving sloppy, hot kisses in his wake as he moves up, up, and up until he’s suckling on the skin behind Lucas’s ear. <em> Holy mother of - </em> Lucas is going to combust. He is going to combust.</p><p>    Eliott uses his hands to push Lucas back against him, a gentle pressure that still somehow has Lucas gasping, until Lucas’s back is flush with Eliott’s front, “I was asking you a question, Lu.” He says and nips at the skin he’s made sensitive.</p><p>    “Shit,” Lucas’s voice comes out a lot more wrecked than he would have liked. He sounds breathless and weak-kneed. Which, sure, he’s both of those things, but he doesn’t want to <em> sound </em>like that. Not after just a few touches and neck kisses. “I - I don’t remember the question.”</p><p>    Eliott hums, the vibrations sending chills down Lucas’s spine. Goosebumps start appearing down his arms from the rough whisper of Eliott’s voice, “I think you remember perfectly well what I was asking.”</p><p>    “Fine… I - I’ve never been in a relationship.” Lucas gasps out.  </p><p>    Eliott’s hands come to a standstill, but he still let’s their bodies press firmly together, “Really? You? Lucas Lallemant? You have never been in a relationship?”</p><p>    Lucas snorts, the spell broken, “No need to act so surprised.” Lucas says and is able to push himself away from Eliott’s grasp.</p><p>    Eliott remains rooted to the spot as he messes with his hair, “But… You’re <em> you </em>. How have you never had a relationship?”</p><p>    Lucas shrugs as he goes back over to the ingredients and starts to open up the can of tomato sauce, “There was never a good time for it. I wasn’t out in high school to anybody, in university I told a few of my close friends, and now, with the public watching me… You are honestly the closest I’ve ever had to a relationship.”</p><p>    “Wow,” Eliott sounds breathless as he comes to stand beside Lucas, leaning against the countertop, “That’s hard to believe. So… wait, are you still a virgin?” Lucas feels his face heat up (god this is <em> humiliating </em>) and immediately turns his head away. “Have you ever had your first kiss?”</p><p>    Lucas sends him a glare over his shoulder, “Of course I’ve had my first kiss.”</p><p>    “But you haven’t done anything else?”</p><p>    “Well, no… Because I don’t want just a one night stand or anything. Plus, the repercussions of doing something like that today… I can never tell who may know who I am. It’s risky to hook up since they could very well leak my sexuality to a number of news outlets.”</p><p>    “Yeah, you’re right. It would be crazy if the guy you were planning on hooking up with turned out to be your assistant or something like that,” Eliott says and Lucas sends him another glare.</p><p>    “Not. Funny.”</p><p>    “It’s actually pretty hilarious. Like, dude, you must have some bad luck if the first person you tried to hook up with gets you tangled into this situation. I mean, hey, I’m not complaining from where I am.”</p><p>    Lucas rolls his eyes, “Okay, first of all, I did <em> not </em>try to ‘hook up’ with you, okay? It was harmless flirting… that just happened to blow up in my face.” Eliott snickers, “And two, did you seriously just call me ‘dude?’”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “What? You prefer Lulu over dude?”</p><p>    Lucas closes his eyes in aggravation, “If you don’t get up and help me prepare this pizza I will literally choke you.”</p><p>    “Ooh choking, huh, Daddy?”</p><p>    Lucas gags, shivers running down his spine, “<em> Never </em> call me that again. Also, I’m really starting to suspect you have a really intense choking kink over there.”</p><p>    Eliott smirks, “Right, I forgot, you’d be the one calling <em> me </em>that.” Lucas sends him a glare before he adds, “And yeah, I do have a choking kink, what gave it away?”</p><p>    Shit. Lucas was thinking about it before, but now that Eliott has actually <em> confirmed </em> it? He really wants to feel those long fingers and silver rings around his throat… Lucas has to physically shake his head to bring himself back to reality, and he really does try his best to ignore the accomplished smirk on Eliott’s face. But, <em> god </em>, he is so aggravating!</p><p>    “Wipe that smirk off your face!” Lucas nearly shouts.</p><p>    That’s the beginning of how they did not, in fact, end up making a pizza, but rather having the ingredients being thrown around the kitchen. You can’t blame Lucas if he decided to chuck a handful of flour at Eliott’s face in an attempt to stop Eliott from smiling at him like that. Afterwards, Lucas orders them Thai, he thinks he’ll be avoiding pizza for a little bit, especially now that he knows how it feels to have the ingredients covering you head to toe. Eliott takes a shower first, and honestly Lucas thinks he should get a medal for not cheekily trying to sneak a peek. Especially with how goddamn horny he’s been lately. Lucas pops into the shower right after, and comes out just in time for the pizza to arrive. They spend the rest of the night huddled on Lucas’s couch, watching whatever cheesy rom-com movie they stumble upon. It’s pretty safe to say that Lucas has never felt so comfortable in his own skin than when he and Eliott are sat next to each other, maybe a little too close, as they eat out of each other’s Thai cartons with a random movie playing in the background.</p><p>*</p><p>
  
</p><p>    The rest of the week flies by. It’s a whirlwind of memorizing lines and countless cups of coffee. It’s safe to say Lucas has never been more thankful for an assistant. Every morning when he wakes up and goes to rehearsal he feels like he’s on the brink of death, but then Eliott appears with a smile and Lucas’s Starbucks and everything falls into place. By Saturday, Lucas is dressed in his shabbiest pair of sweatpants and a bleached stained shirt. None of the other cast members look much better. But then Eliott is sat next him, looking like a fucking ray of sunshine. He’s a Uni student! He’s supposed to be the one depressed and hating his life. But, honestly, Lucas is glad Eliott isn’t as drained as he is. Because during breaks he talks to Lucas, either about his day or his studies. Lucas soaks everything in that Eliott is willing to talk about; it’s his escape from work. </p><p>It’s the first break of Saturday morning, and Lucas feels like a corpse. Eliott must see it in the way he sags in his chair because he’s suddenly asking, “want to share a donut?” And, sure, it’s just a friendly gesture. Just something people would generally overlook. But something about the way Eliott gently rests his hand on Lucas’s shoulder and the sincerity in his voice makes Lucas tear up. His lips quiver as he nods his head. Eliott smiles sadly as he gets up from his chair and walks over towards the condiments. Upon his arrival he sets the donut down, neatly cut in half. Lucas inwardly scoffs. The precision of an artist.</p><p>“They only had the cream-filled kind, I hope that’s okay,” Eliott says as he picks up his half.</p><p>“Thank you,” Lucas says before he dives in for his first bite.</p><p>Eliott is already halfway through his when he responds, “Of course. You look pretty drained today. Just want to be here to help.”</p><p>“Are you saying I look bad?” Lucas asks with a laugh.</p><p>Eliott quickly shakes his head, “No! Of course not! It’s just, you aren’t your usual bratty self today. Plus, I can tell how tiring this whole production must be. It’s a big deal.”</p><p>Lucas is going to cry. Why does Eliott have to be so nice? It’s like the universe is daring him to just jump his bones right here right now. Instead of responding Lucas takes another bite of the donut. He feels a bit of the cream hit the side of his mouth, and he looks around for a napkin, but Eliott acts faster. “Got a little on the side of your mouth there,” Eliott says as he swipes his thumb along Lucas’s lips. He lets it rest for a few seconds too long before pulling away and sucking his thumb into his mouth. Is Lucas a tomato? Probably.</p><p>“Thank you,” Lucas says with a small smile.</p><p>“Anyti-”</p><p>“Oh cool!” Tobi interrupts Eliott as he leans his head onto Lucas’s shoulder, “Where are the donuts?”</p><p>Lucas nods his head in the direction of the condiments table, “Over there.”</p><p>“Thanks, love,” Tobi says and places a small peck on Lucas’s cheek before getting up from his seat and practically jogging towards the table.</p><p>Lucas’s eyes never left Eliott’s, and, honestly, his reaction had to be the funniest shit Lucas has ever seen. If looks could kill Tobias would be six feet under, most definitely not resting in peace. “Stop with the death glare.” Lucas says with a slight tap of his foot against Eliott’s shin.</p><p>“He fucking <em> kissed </em> your <em> cheek </em>. And! He called you ‘love.’”</p><p>Lucas rolls his eyes, “It was a peck, first of all. And secondly, he’s playing my boyfriend. We’re going to be doing a lot more than just kissing each other’s cheeks pretty soon.”</p><p>Eliott looks about ready to blow up just when the director orders everyone to return to their seats so they can finish up for the day.</p><p>*</p><p>    They wrap up the final scene with a cheer. It’s sort of ironic, since the final scene is supposed to make the audience cry, but they’re all just so happy to have the first stage of production over and finished. “Great work this week, guys.” The director says as everyone starts to pack up for the day, “I’m looking forward to starting filming next week Monday. Get some rest, especially you, Lucas and Tobi. You guys did great.” As soon as the director stops speaking the rest of the room is filled with a low murmur as people collect their stuff and get ready to leave.</p><p>    Tobi sighs, “I think I’m ready to go into a coma, but he’s already talking about filming.”</p><p>    Lucas laughs, “I feel you on that. We’ll get through it though. Go home, do a face mask, all that good rejuvenation stuff.” Tobi laughs as he walks away, sending a final wave as a farewell.</p><p>    Eliott huffs behind Lucas, which makes him turn and raise an eyebrow, “Still don’t like him, huh?”</p><p>    Eliott pouts, “He just wants to get into your pants. He has this <em> look </em> whenever he’s talking to you.”</p><p>    Lucas laughs as he picks up his backpack and slings it over his shoulder. “Oh, like you don’t.”</p><p>    “I wasn’t saying that <em> I </em>don’t do it, but it’s just… different with Tobi. He’s your co-star.” Eliott says as he holds the door open for Lucas to walk through.</p><p>    Lucas says a quiet thanks before replying, “I thought we’ve already been over this. We had this same conversation, like, six days ago.”</p><p>    “Yeah, but he hasn’t changed in those six days, Lucas.”</p><p>    Lucas rolled his eyes, “Why do you have such an issue with him? I seriously don’t understand. Ya know, even though you’re my assistant you’re still going to have to work with him too.”</p><p>    “I don’t <em> have </em> to,” Eliott huffs back as they walk out to the parking lot towards Lucas’s car, “I can be as passive aggressive towards him as I want. Especially when he’s undressing you with his eyes. I mean, yeah, I get that every guy probably wants you. Do you know that? Every guy is dying to get their hands on you. They all want to be the one lucky enough to touch you and be with you… It drives me crazy.”</p><p>    That’s when it hits Lucas. It comes out of him in a prolonged ‘ooh’ that makes Eliott send him a curious glance. Eliott doesn’t like Tobias because he’s <em> jealous </em> . Lucas can’t hold in his laughter, why would <em> Eliott </em> be jealous of <em> him </em> ? Doesn’t Eliott know how <em> beautiful </em> he is? How earth-shatteringly <em> kind </em>he is? Doesn’t he know how Lucas’s heart has already fallen into his hands? He grabs hold of Eliott’s sleeve, pulling him quickly towards the car so they can get to Eliott’s place faster. He doesn’t want to have this conversation in front of the rest of the crew that are still filing out of the building towards their cars. He needs to be alone with Eliott. To do what? He isn’t entirely sure. But Eliott being jealous of Tobias has sent something in Lucas over the edge. He’s going nearly ten over the speed limit by the time they are out on the road, but he doesn’t have it in him to care. They don’t talk on the car ride there. Lucas’s thoughts are going a million miles a minute and Eliott is fidgeting nervously in the passenger seat. He pulls up to Eliott’s apartment building, quickly exiting the vehicle and drags Eliott towards the entrance. He honestly doesn’t have half a mind to even care about the paparazzi he spots on the other side of the street, accusingly pointing the camera towards them as Eliott buzzes them into the building.</p><p>    Lucas is practically vibrating as Eliott guides them up the stairs to his apartment in complete silence. He’s shaking by the time they actually enter Eliott’s flat and when he asks Lucas if he wants anything to drink, Lucas’s heart feels like it’s ricocheting around in his chest.</p><p>    “I’m good, thanks.” Lucas says on reflex, he honestly can barely think, let alone string together a coherent sentence.</p><p>    Eliott slouches down on the couch and pats the seat next to him as an invitation for Lucas to sit. Lucas feels like he’s floating when he comes to sit beside him, his legs going numb. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost -”</p><p>    “Did you mean… what you said?”</p><p>    Eliott frowns as he straightens himself out from his previous sitting position, “I always mean what I say when I’m talking to you… But, what are you asking about specifically?”</p><p>    “Before we left, you said every guy wants to, um, be with me.”</p><p>    Eliott nods, “Yeah…”</p><p>    “Does… does that include you, too?”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, but it’s not patronizing. It’s… reassuring. “I thought I made that pretty clear over the past few weeks. But, Lucas, I am so utterly entranced by you.” Then Eliott’s lifting his hand and resting it gently on the side of Lucas’s face. He lets his thumb rub soothing circles on his cheek. “I know I’m just one a million. There are dozens of guys just like me, who probably live in Paris, who would be willing to give you everything. Hell, we’re all probably willing to chop a leg off for you,” Lucas cringes at that which makes Eliott laugh, “Cheesy, I know. But, it’s true. There’s millions of <em> me’s </em> out there, but there can only be one Lucas Lallemant. I never thought I’d be lucky enough to even be sitting on a couch with you.” His gaze flicks downwards towards Lucas’s lips. He stops and stares. “I thought you knew how much you can stun me with just one look. I mean, fuck, the first day of rehearsal when you stepped out of the car in that sheer ass shirt, nipples showing and everything, nearly had me dead on the spot. And don’t even get me started that day we met at the club. Shit, you were so sexy. Dancing and grinding, you just looked so -”</p><p>    Lucas can’t take it anymore. He lunges forward, the force of the kiss making their teeth bump together. But Eliott doesn’t seem to mind as he cradles Lucas’s head, running fingers through his hair as he positions him <em> just right </em> to deepen the kiss. Lucas moans when Eliott pulls on his hair and <em> oh, that’s what it feels like </em> . The pull on his hair is sure. Strong. Eliott takes the opportunity of Lucas’s parted lips, his tongue slipping between them. He twines their tongues together and <em> holy fuck </em> . Lucas has kissed people before, but never kissed with <em> tongue </em> . Plus, Eliott is a <em> really </em> good kisser. He kisses like Lucas is his last meal and he’s devouring him piece by piece. Eliott’s hand, free of Lucas’s hair, trails down his neck. It feels like he’s burning against the cool touch of Eliott’s rings. It sends a shiver down his spine, the contrast between the warmth of his skin and the bitter cold of the silver. Eventually, they start to slow down. The kiss becomes less frantic and more about the push and pull between them. He feels like he’s levitating out of his body when Eliott pulls Lucas’s bottom lip between his teeth. They part with a final press of lips. Soft and safe. Just to tell one another, <em> I'm here. </em></p><p>    “You have no idea,” Eliott pants as he tries to catch his breath, “how long I’ve been wanting to do that.” He runs both hands through Lucas’s hair, and stops when they got to the base of his neck. Eliott pushes him a smidge closer when he let’s their foreheads rest together.</p><p>    “That was…”</p><p>    “Amazing,” Eliott finishes for him.</p><p>    “Yeah.” Lucas nearly moans just thinking about the forcefulness of Eliott’s kisses. “Can we do it again?”</p><p>    Eliott laughs and pulls Lucas into a second kiss. He lifts Lucas up so that the younger can swing his legs over Eliott’s lap. As he sits he lets himself glide down Eliott’s chest; creating friction that has both of them moaning. Eliott goes to reconnect their lips, pulling Lucas’s head down to meet his, but he pauses just when their lips start to rub together. The slightest of touches that’s driving Lucas mad. “You’re beautiful, Lu. So fucking pretty with your lips puffy from kissing and your cheeks flushed such a cute pink. <em> God, </em>I want…”</p><p>    Lucas trails his hands downwards, where they loop underneath Eliott’s shirt. He holds in his gasp when he feels Eliott twitch and flex under his touch. Dear Lord, he <em> does </em> have abs. Not washboard abs, but toned, like a greek statue. <em> Shit </em>. “What do you want, El?”</p><p>    Eliott dips his head towards Lucas’s neck. He suckles and bites on the area just behind Lucas’s ear. There’s for sure going to be a hickey there tomorrow, but Lucas doesn’t have the coherent thought process to complain. Instead, he gasps and pushes into the touch. “I want <em> you </em>. I want to take care of you. Please, let me take care of you.”</p><p>    Lucas jerks when Eliott trails his tongue down his neck, but stops just above the line of his shirt. He finds the willpower to pull away, at least just enough to look Eliott in the eyes and cradle his face in his hands, “I don’t… I know I kissed you, and I want - I want to do this with you. I want you to kiss me, I want to - to hold your hand. To go on dates, at least if you want that. But, I’ve never had anything like this before.” Eliott looks up at him as if in a daze. Lucas isn’t entirely sure if Eliott is even processing anything that he’s saying, but he keeps going. “I’ve never been in an actual relationship. I’ve never been kissed like this before. So, what I’m trying to say, is that I want everything with you, but I don’t know if I’m ready.”</p><p>    Eliott looks momentarily broken, as if someone just told him his puppy died. Lucas feels his heart squeeze at the sight, “You don’t want a relationship?”</p><p>    Lucas shakes his head quickly, pulling Eliott closer, “I want a relationship with you. I just don’t know if I’m ready to go public. Plus, I’ll want to go slow...ish. Everything will be new to me and I just… I don’t want to hold you back.”</p><p>    It’s Eliott’s turn to shake his head. His hands come up to cup Lucas’s that are still resting on his face. “You won’t be holding me back, <em> mon amour </em>.” Lucas nearly jumps his bones just from the pet name, but he holds off. “I am willing to wait for you to want to go public, so long as it means I get to be with you. Okay?”</p><p>    Lucas nods, “Okay.”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “My heart is beating so fast right now.”</p><p>    “Mine too,” Lucas says and leans in to press a soft kiss to Eliott’s lips. He just can’t help himself. “So… are we?”</p><p>    Eliott looks like he’s about to cry, “Yes, love.”</p><p>    Lucas purses his lips, “I can’t believe the little shit who invaded my privacy at the club is now my secret boyfriend.”</p><p>    Eliott chuckles as he leans forward, brushing his lips against Lucas’s. “I can’t believe the brat who calls me a little shit is now my secret boyfriend.”</p><p>    “You love it, don’t lie.”</p><p>    Eliott hums, “I love it when it comes from you.”</p><p>    Lucas shoves him, a laugh bursting past his lips, “Suck-up.”</p><p>    “I don’t have to be a suck-up now that I’m actually with you.”</p><p>    Lucas shakes his head with a disbelieving smile on his face. “You’re sure you’re okay with this?”</p><p>    Eliott smiles as he pushes a strand of hair behind Lucas’s ear, “Do you know long I’ve dreamt of this moment. Granted, I never imagined you in a bleach stained shirt and sweatpants, but -” Lucas knocks him upside the head as Eliott laughs, “I was going to say it’s because I imagined you in nothing at all.”</p><p>    Lucas rolls his eyes, “That’s most definitely not going to happen.”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “But, really, Lu. I’m sure I want this. Just… What do you want to do about the media? Our original intent was to ‘trick’ them. But now that we are actually going to be together…”</p><p>    Lucas smiles, he will never get tired of hearing that. That they are ‘together.’ “We can keep going with our original plan. But, I don’t want to confirm or deny any rumors yet. I just want them to stay what they are. Rumors.”</p><p>    “Okay,” Eliott nods, “If that works for you it works for me.”</p><p>    Lucas slouches forward against Eliott’s chest until they fall together into a hug. “Now that we have all our formalities out of the way can we kiss some more?”</p><p>    Eliott’s laughter vibrates against Lucas’s chest, “I can already tell you are going to be very demanding, aren’t you?”</p><p>    Lucas springs off Eliott’s chest to look him in the eye, “Hey, I haven’t been with anyone before this. You and I have to make up for a lot of lost time.”</p><p>    Eliott’s eyes darken as his lips carve into a smirk. “We do, huh? I’ll be more than willing to help you out there, so long as you can keep up.”</p><p>    <em> Holy mother of </em>- “Seems like you might be the one who needs some help. You’ve been awfully hard down there for a while.”</p><p>    Eliott shakes his head with laughter, “I can’t believe you think I’m the little shit in this relationship when you say things like <em> that </em>.”</p><p>    “I’m not the one who got hard from just kissing.” It was such a mistake to say that. <em> Such </em> a mistake, because then Eliott’s hand slips between, kneading Lucas over his jeans and boxers. The slightest pressure makes Lucas keen forward, hips rising to meet Eliott’s touch. He moans out a broken “Eliott” when he feels his hips twitch in search of more friction.</p><p>    “I think you’re about to come there, love. Think before you speak next time.” Then Eliott’s hand is gone, returning to Lucas’s shoulder.</p><p>    “Such a tease,” Lucas pants. Fuck, how is he so wrecked from just that one touch?</p><p>    Eliott smiles, “You were the one who wants to take things slow. Which, I am more than happy to do. I’m simply respecting your wishes.”</p><p>    Lucas hums, tilting his head downward in search of a kiss, “Such a gentleman.”</p><p>    “Damn, right.” Eliott says in a whisper as he meets Lucas’s lips halfway. They come together softly, gently. The sound of their kisses reverberating inside Lucas’s head. He takes time to appreciate the velvety softness of Eliott’s lips and how their lips slot perfectly together during each touch. The realization settles slowly at first, and then all at once. He’s kissing Eliott. He’s <em> kissing Eliott </em> . He has a <em> boyfriend </em> . He’s actually letting himself experiment with his sexuality. He’s not putting himself in a box anymore. His heart wanted something and he <em> went </em> for it.</p><p>    The realization has Lucas pulling from the kiss, laughter bubbling past his lips. Eliott gives him a confused look. “Is my technique of kissing funny to you, Lulu?” </p><p>    Lucas shakes his head, “No,” he says softly, “it’s perfect. I’m so happy.” Then he wraps his arms back around Eliott’s neck and pulls him into a hug. He repeats it again, just for himself, “I’m so happy.”</p><p>    Eliott runs his hand up and down Lucas’s back in soothing lines. They sit there long enough that sleep starts to threaten the edges of Lucas’s vision. But… he still wants to be awake for as long as possible. He doesn’t want this day to end. Eventually he pulls away, breaking the hug, but remains sitting on Eliott’s lap. “What day is it?” </p><p>    Eliott hums and picks up his phone, “February 15th, why?”</p><p>    Lucas smiles, “Happy anniversary.”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “Alright, well, to celebrate our newly formed anniversary, which we will be celebrating properly next year, would you want to get something to eat and maybe watch something on Netflix?”</p><p>    And Lucas seriously can’t help it when his smile turns into a grin, “You think we’ll still be together next year?”</p><p>    Eliott freezes, fear struck across his features, “Oh, shit, well… I thought this was going to be serious. Not just, like, a fling. But, I mean… I understand if you don’t want something serious right away, after all you’ve never actually been in a -”</p><p>    Lucas cuts him off with a kiss. Because he can do that now, he can <em> kiss </em> Eliott to make him shut up. “Of course I hope we’ll still be together next year, idiot. I just liked it when you said it.”</p><p>    Eliott breathes a sigh of relief, “Thank God, I think I just had a heart attack.”</p><p>    Lucas laughs. “As for Netflix,” he gives Eliott a coy smirk, “what do you think about <em> Call Me By Your Name </em>.”</p><p>    “You’re crazy if you think we’re watching that just so you can ogle Armie Hammer the whole time.” Eliott counters.</p><p>    “Fine, fine. What are you proposing then?”</p><p>    Eliott shrugs, “I don’t know. I was thinking maybe a TV show, we can look at what they offer.” His hands fall to Lucas’s hips when he says, “Love, I have to get up so I can get us some food and turn on the TV.”</p><p>    Lucas pouts, “How about I just go all koala on you and just hang on you while you prepare whatever you have to do, because I don’t want to be away from you. I think that’s a pretty solid idea.”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “Maybe next time.” He says, then stands up. Lucas nearly shrieks, thinking that he’s going to go careening into the floor, but thankfully Eliott loops an arm under him to stop him from falling. “You can slide off, Lu.”</p><p>    Lucas does as he’s told, sliding down Eliott like he’s a fucking tree. Eliott links their hands together as he starts guiding them to the kitchen. Lucas smiles to himself, <em> so he’s not the only one that was upset about their loss of contact </em>. Lucas hops up on the counter as soon as they enter the kitchen and watches Eliott roam around, looking through his cupboards and pulling out anything he finds snack worthy. Lucas looks around the small area. Even though he’s been in Eliott’s apartment before he never actually took in anything about it. His eyes eventually drift over to the fridge. He hops down from the counter to inspect it closer. There are over a dozen little drawings pinned up. They are mainly of a raccoon, others have groups of different animals. A few of them are of a raccoon and hedgehog…</p><p>    “Eliott?” Lucas asks without turning around.</p><p>    “Yeah, babe?”</p><p>    Lucas melts at the pet name, he - <em> no </em>, Lucas, not the time. “What animal did you say I was again?”</p><p>    “A hedgehog, why?”</p><p>    Lucas pulls one of the drawings from the fridge and turns to look at Eliott, “Is this us?”</p><p>    That makes Eliott turn around. His brows are furrowed as he takes a step closer, still unsure as to what Lucas is referencing. But as soon as he sees what Lucas is holding his face flushes a deep pink, “I - I… well, it is. But, yeah, I don’t know what I should say.” He says and gently takes the slip of paper that has a drawing of a raccoon and hedgehog cuddled together on a coach with little hearts drawn around them, and places it back on the fridge. “I drew that a while ago… Maybe a few days after the club? I honestly can’t remember.”</p><p>    Lucas’s heart melts. He was drawing them all the way back then? “When did you start drawing me as a hedgehog?”</p><p>    “The moment I saw you,” Eliott responds bluntly.</p><p>    Lucas tilts his head in question, “In the club?”</p><p>    Eliott smiles and cups Lucas’s face in his hands, “Before then. The first time I saw you wasn’t in the club. I saw you back in university, actually. You were a junior, and I had just changed majors so I had to go back and retake my sophomore, junior and senior years. Anyways, I had a stupid accounting class I had to take for a math credit. I sat towards the back, so it was no wonder you didn’t see me. Back then you hadn’t blown up yet, but I still remember you walking into class for the very first time. You walked in laughing with one of your friends. We made eye contact for a split second from across the lecture hall, and I knew I was screwed. You were so beautiful, you literally took my breath away.”</p><p>    Lucas can’t process everything Eliott’s telling him. They had a class together? Why doesn’t he remember? Obviously he remembers the stupid accounting course, it was the most boring class he’s ever taken. How did they never interact with each other? How was Lucas so blind? “Why didn’t you ever come and talk to me?”</p><p>     Eliott shrugs as he lets his hands fall from Lucas’s face and trace soft lines down Lucas’s arms until they land on his hands. “I suppose I never built up the courage. I mean, I was two years older than you but still your underclassmen. Sort of felt self-conscious about that for a while. Plus, you were just this sunshine of a person. I always thought, ‘surely, he’s too good for me.’ And then I watched your fame grow, and I thought I completely lost my chance.”</p><p>    “You were drawing me as a hedgehog back in university?” Lucas is still trying to catch up.</p><p>    Eliott nods, “Yeah. I suppose it was a way for me to live vicariously through my raccoon.”</p><p>    “Well, you don’t have to live vicariously anymore.”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “You’re right. Speaking of, I have our snacks ready. Still want to watch something?”</p><p>    Lucas smiles and loops his arm through Eliott’s once he has the snacks safely in his grasp, “If by ‘watching something’ you mean having it on in the background while we make out, then yes.”</p><p>    Eliott laughs, “That’s exactly what I mean.”</p><p>    They end up putting on <em> You </em>, a rather dark show to have on in the background, but Lucas doesn’t complain. They get about twelve minutes into the first episode before Eliott is pulling Lucas into a kiss (he didn’t cave first, which is honestly an accomplishment on his part). Each kiss is more heated than the last, a hidden passion behind the press of their tongues. Eliott has Lucas panting against him after the first couple seconds, and if that’s not a talent he doesn’t know what is. There’s a promise that goes unspoken between each lock of their lips. Lucas doesn’t have much time to evaluate what the promise is, exactly, because eventually Eliott’s pressing on Lucas’s chest. It’s a guiding force that Lucas doesn’t question. He lays on his back as Eliott lays atop, kissing his lips fervently. He thinks Eliott does it absentmindedly, when he grinds his hips against Lucas’s, but, nevertheless, it pulls a surprised gasp and choked moan from Lucas’s lips.</p><p>    “I can’t believe I have you underneath me,” Eliott whispers as he nips at the bruised skin of Lucas’s neck, which he had marked earlier. The pain shoots through him, but a content sigh passes his lips from the pleasure. “You can’t even imagine how many times I’ve dreamt of this moment. Just to be able to kiss you,” Eliott says and plants a kiss to Lucas’s lips.</p><p>    Sleep eventually comes for them. It creeps up on Lucas slowly, then pounces all at once. It’s between one kiss and the next that Lucas lets out a loud yawn that has Eliott laughing, “a little tired, huh?” he asks. Lucas nods. “Want to go to the bedroom?”</p><p>    Lucas chuckles, “I thought we said to take this slow, mister.”</p><p>    Eliott rolls his eyes, “Just to sleep, you brat. I don’t want us sleeping out here on the couch all night. Plus, we need to get changed and all my clothes are in my room.”</p><p>    Lucas hums as Eliott helps pull him to his feet. They leave the snacks where they are on the table, saving the clean-up for tomorrow. When they get to Eliott’s room Lucas collapses onto the bed with a deep groan of satisfaction. Eliott then tosses him a sweatshirt and… no pants. “So I’m just going pants-less then?” Lucas asks with a raise of an eyebrow.</p><p>    Eliott smiles, “That was the idea.”</p><p>    “You’re infuriating.” Lucas says as he starts to undress himself. First his socks, then his pants, followed by his shirt.</p><p>    “Beautiful,” he hears Eliott say from somewhere to his right. Lucas flips his head over to where Eliott’s stood, frozen in place, gaze trained on Lucas’s body.</p><p>    “You’re making me feel self-conscious here,” Lucas says before pulling the sweatshirt over his head. Once he has both arms through the sleeves he stands. He admires the way the sweatshirt hangs off him like a tarp. It’s long, ending on his mid-thigh. It’s also warm and it smells like Eliott. Like rain and wood. It’s a manly scent, and Lucas melts into it when he closes his eyes and lifts a sleeve to breathe the scent in further.</p><p>    Suddenly Eliott is there, placing a kiss to the top of his head. “I didn’t mean to make you feel self-conscious. You’re just the most beautiful person I have ever seen.”</p><p>    Lucas laughs, “Save it for the vows, will ya?” He says before climbing into bed. He pulls the sheets over him and pats the empty space beside him.</p><p>    “Vows, hm?” Eliott ponders as he lays down and flicks the lamp off on the bedside table.</p><p>    “Yeah,” Lucas sighs out as he shuffles closer, inviting Eliott to drape an arm around him.</p><p>    “I’ll have to think of something better than just <em> that </em> to put in the vows.” Eliott says in a soft whisper, lulling Lucas to sleep.</p><p>    “You’re the cheesiest guy I know, so I’m sure you can think of something.”</p><p>    Lucas falls asleep that night with the warmth of Eliott’s lips on his forehead.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry if there were any grammar/spelling mistakes. My brain is nonexistent at this point...<br/>Visit me on Tumblr @is-this-a-skam-account ! &lt;3 :D</p>
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